RANDERS - The World championship in the discipline three cushion in the Danish city of Randers is coming up very quickly. At the same time, it is good to look back at two previous World championships in the southernmost Scandinavian country. Dick Jaspers defends his world title from Tuesday 26 to Saturday 30 November. The two previous global championships in Denmark were held in 1994 in Aalborg, where Dutchman Rini van Bracht in the just-after-BWA era, and Italian Marco Zanetti in Randers in 2002 were the winners.
Kozoom looks back to these two championships in the run-up to next World championship with defending champion Dick Jaspers, Marco Zanetti, the last winner in Denmark and the Danes Dion Nelin, Tonny Carlsen, Brian Knudsen and Jacob Sörensen.
Dion Nelin, Jacob Haack Sörensen and Thomas Andersen are playing for the home country this year. Never in the long World champion-history since 1928, a Danish player won the title in three cushion. Two players were on the podium with silver: Tonny Carlsen in 2000 in Saint Etienne beaten by Dick Jaspers, Dion Nelin in 2002 in Randers in the final against Marco Zanetti.
The first World championship in Denmark was in Aalborg, where Brian Knudsen was third on the podium. The second in Randers, where Dion Nelin was second in a field with all the big names and after titles won by Torbjörn Blomdahl (1997, Grubbenvorst), Dani Sánchez (1998, Réze-les Nantes), Frédéric Caudron (1999, Bogota), Dick Jaspers (2000, Saint Etienne) and Raymond Ceulemans (2001, Luxembourg).
Aalborg World championship, January 6-9, 1994
The UMB, world federation, had not organized a World championship for seven years during the turbulent BWA years and returned to Aalborg. The system is new, a copy of the BWA organizations: set system with 32 players in groups of eight, then the knock-out. Many of the top players are absent, it looks like a glorified Germany-Denmark with six players from each country. Rini van Bracht wins his second World title after Ecuador, 1982. The Dutchman finishes ahead of Edgar Bettzieche (Germany), Brian Knudsen (Denmark), Fonsy Grethen (Luxembourg) and Francis Connesson (France). The winner's average: 1,149. Rini van Bracht (72 now) later looked back at those two world titles Cups in an interview and told about his car accident in 1977: ''I fell asleep and crashed into a truck. The result: I lost my right eye. It seemed like the end of my career, but with my winners mentality, I fought back and won two World titles."
Brian Knudsen (43): ''It was my first World championship in Aalborg that year, at the age of 18 and in the years which I consider afterwards the best in my career. I won the European junior title twice in a row in 1993 and 1994, both in a final with Dion Nelin. That year, I also took my first Danish title, but the highlight, of course, was my podium place at the World championship in Aalborg. I remember losing in the semi-finals to Rini van Bracht 3-2 after leading 2-1 and missing two easy balls at 13-11 in the fourth set, as I began to feel the tension. Rini van Bracht was the only BWA player in the field. I remember that I won my first match against the Belgian Paul Stroobants, a wonderful, temperamental player. After Aalborg, I couldn't make my breakthrough because I started a full-time job as a window cleaner. I wanted to participate again in the World Cup in Veghel three weeks ago and I was surprised that I could get that far."
Rini van Bracht in his young years: two world titles with one eye after his car accident in 1977
Brian Knudsen, on the rostrum in Aalborg, made his come-back recently in the Veghel World Cup
WK Randers, 2-5 October 2002
Marco Zanetti has been hunting for his first world title for a few years. The gentleman, a master in all game types in these years, beat Dion Nelin in the final 3-1 and 2,360 on average. Dick Jaspers and Ramón Rodriguez were eliminated in the semi-finals. Filippos Kasidokostas from Greece, a huge junior talent, made his debut among the big players. Three contenders were eliminated before the final day: Sayginer, Caudron and Blomdahl. The winner's overall average: 1,732.
The story of Marco Zanetti, recorded that year: ''The forty-year-old player from Bolzano surpassed himself, although ''the Dottore in economy was on top already for about twenty years. He was not spoiled with top wins and never won a World championship in three cushion until then and no overall wins in the World Cup cycle, only WC events in Palma and Berlin. His most important titles so far: three times European champion 47/1. The Italian, a big fan of Inter Milan, was well-known for his well-considered game and cool technique. A striking detail in his appearance: Zanetti always plays with a black glove on his left hand against sweating, copied from the German Dieter Müller.'' Zanetti (57 now): "I remember that I received the trophy out of the hands of Raymond Ceulemans, who no longer played the World championship that year, but against whom I had lost the final one year before in Luxembourg."
Dick Jaspers (54), this year's title defender at the World championship: ''I remember that we still were very happy that after the suspensions from 1998 we were finally allowed to participate in the World championships again. Because the major title by far for a player is to become world champion. I had won my first in 2000 in Saint Etienne, I didn't have a chance in 2001, but in Randers I was back on stage. I was beaten by a very strong Marco Zanetti in the semi-final. Denmark is a great country for all of us to play a World championship. There is a different atmosphere than in the southern countries, in Asia or South America. The venue is smaller and often very cozy. I hope and expect that it will now be even more professional, because not only the price money has increased, but also the interest of TV stations. I look forward to Randers with great ambitions.''
Marco Zanetti on top of the rostrum after Randers 2002 with Dion Nelin (left), Dick Jaspers and Ramón Rodriguez
Dick Jaspers with the trophy after last year's World championship in Caïro
Dion Nelin (43): ''The end of my first career was already in sight when I was in the final in 2002 against Marco Zanetti. I was in a difficult time with troubles in my relationship. I can still remember the final. I won the first set 15-14 and in the three sets after, I had no chance with 15-0, 15-8 and 15-12. Marco was very strong. And yes, what a ranking after the podium with Zanetti, myself, Jaspers and Rodriguez. We were followed by Sayginer, Blomdahl, Caudron and Sánchez. Two or three months later, I stopped billiards for a long time, now I am happy to be back again. As a professional player, because Dan Johansen offered me the chance to make it to the world top. I live only 75 kilometres away from Randers, where billiards is very popular. So I really expect a lot of people and a lot of interest on TV.''
Tonny Carlsen (54): ''I was in the best form of my life in the year of the Randers World championship, but scored only six match points, like Sayginer, Blomdahl and Caudron. I missed the top four due to a loss against Ramón Rodriguez. That was disappointing for me in my own country. In the two years before, I was on the podium twice, in 2000 second behind Dick Jaspers, in 2001 fourth, when Raymond Ceulemans became world champion again in his aftermath. And in the two European championships in those years, I was second twice behind Blomdahl and Caudron. My expectations were high in Randers, where Nelin came in second behind Zanetti. Unfortunately, I am not in the field this year because of my PBA status, but I will be there as a commentator for Danish television, that will broadcast 40 hours live. I think it will be a great promotion for three cushion in our country."
Jacob Haack-Sörensen (47): ''My tournament in Randers 2002 was not so successful: Thomas Andersen and I finished in the last ranks. What I remember well, is Raymond Ceulemans' tribute, not my matches. Two years later, I got my revenge with a place on the podium at the World championship in Rotterdam, where Dick Jaspers won. With the Danish players we are very well prepared now for Randers, we played good World Cups in Porto and Veghel. We expect a lot in our home country and surely want to continue and raise the level of the Danes afterwards.''
Dion Nelin looking at Raymond Ceulemans, who shakes hands with Marco Zanetti
Tonny Carlsen in his last World Cup, this year tv commentator in Randers
Jacob Sörensen, one of Danish players in Randers now. ''We want to show our high level to the home crowd.''