BOGÓTA – These are the days of miracles at the start of the World Cup in Bogóta, Colombia. Two world champions from the last two years, both Vietnamese, did not make it to the knockout stage. Torbjörn Blomdahl was the best in average. Dick Jaspers remained the only one left out of three Dutchmen, Jean Paul de Bruijn and Glenn Hofman may go home. Eddy Merckx shone with the best match and the best run (16), and went last to the top sixteen after two losses. Five of eight winners in the groups finished with the maximum match points and the averages lagged behind all previous World Cups. There will be a climactic sixteen with the Vietnamese outnumbering them with four players, the Belgians and Turks following with three finalists, South Korea having only two contenders for the final stage. Sameh Sidhom led the rankings with 6 match points and 1,904 ahead of Tayfun Tasdemir with 6 and 1,846 and Hong Chiem Thai with 6 and 1,538.
Only Torbjörn Blomdahl in the best 16 field, number two in his group, finished over two average, 2.113. Eddy Merckx played his first game out with 40 in 10, made the highest run of 16 in that match, but then the Belgian lost two games. He nevertheless qualified for the knockout series.
Most striking of the day: Myung Woo Cho, the current world champion and Phuong Vinh Bao, the 2023 world champion, may go home after one day, both as last (fourth) in their group. The South Americans also failed to make notable appearances in their own continent: no one made it to the knockouts with 16.
The overview of the groups:
Group A:
Dick Jaspers was not, as often in World Cups, remarkable in averages at the start, but extremely solid with three wins over Duc Minh Tran (40 in 28), Erick Tellez (40 in 35) and Myeong Jong Cha (40 in 22). For Jaspers, an unusual 1.411 and best run 6. Vietnamese Duc Minh Tran went second to the best sixteen and recorded the best game with 40 in 20 against Cha.
Standings in Group A:
1. Dick Jaspers 6-1,411-6
2. Duc Minh Tran 4-1,652-12
3. Erick Tellez 2-1,238-6
4. Myeong Jong Cha 0-1.014-9
Group B:
The elimination of Myung Woo Cho, the world champion, was totally unexpected. The little Korean still started with a win over Huberney Cataño (40-32), then he was sacrificed against the two Belgians Roland Forthomme and Peter Ceulemans. This day was Belgians' day in this group, where Ceulemans first won against Forthomme (40-34 in 26) and Forthomme was the just slightly better in average in the the next games against Cataño and Cho: 1.390 against 1.310.
Standings in Group B:
1. Roland Forthomme 4-1,390-8
2. Peter Ceulemans 4-1,310-11
3. Huberney Cataño 2-1,293-8
4. Myung Woo Cho 2-1,250-11
Group C:
Eddy Merckx's lightning start 40-19 in 10 against Jean Paul de Bruijn impressed the whole field. It seemed a harbinger for many top games, the opposite was true. Merckx himself also suffered a setback on this first day. He lost to both Hong Chiem Thai (40-34 in 27) and Pedro Gonzalez (40-35 in 20). Vietnamese Thai went along in second, Jean Paul de Bruijn only could beat Gonzalez when he upped the pace for a while 40-33 in 27.
Standings in Group C:
1. Hong Chiem Thai 6-1,538-11
2. Eddy Merckx 2-1,912-16
3. Pedro Gonzalez 2-1,441-7
4. Jean Paul de Bruijn 2-1,164-8
Group D:
The group with the remarkably low averages was dominated by Jérémy Bury, who took the maximum win, controlling the Vietnamese and winning over Phuong Vinh Bao (40-35 in 34) and Quyet Chien Tran (40-33 in 38). Nick Polychronopoulos lost the decisive match for the second position against Quyet Chien Tran 40-34 in 32.
Standings in Group D:
1. Jérémy Bury 6-1,188-8
2. Quyet Chien Tran 4-1,164-7
3. Nick Polychronopoulos 2-1,258-11
4. Phuong Vinh Bao 0-0,964-6
Group E:
Dutchman Glenn Hofman launched his day with a stunning 15 in the first inning against Jun Tae Kim. The opening was imposing, but did not get a follow-up as Jun Tae Kim showed his immeasurable fighting spirit and still won 40-29 in 18. The Korean remained unbeaten, Tolgahan Kiraz sold his skin dearly and won the last game for placement to Glenn Hofman with a deadly final run of 6. Hofman, in superb form for last months, was left with a sour feeling of disappointment.
Standings in Group E:
1. Jun Tae Kim 5-1,578-11
2. Tolgahan Kiraz 4-1,367-9
3. Glenn Hofman 2-1,268-15
4. Ruben Legazpi 1-1,189-8
Group F:
Berkay Karakurt was the eventual winner ahead of Thanh Luc Tran, both with 5 match points, as they drew against each other (40-40 in 32). So did Marco Zanetti and Ja In Kang in their first fight (40-40 in 32), but both players then lost the battle to Karakurt and Tran. The top three in the final standings shone with runs of 14, for Zanetti it was an early retreat with 1 match point.
Standings in Group F:
1. Berkay Karakurt 5-1.1,463-14
2. Thanh Luc Tran 5-1,395-14
3. Marco Zanetti 1-1,291-14
4. Ja In Kang 1-1,157-6
Group G:
Tayfun Tasdemir was the autocrat, Haeng Jik Kim the ponderous number two. The Turkish group winner had a tight schedule, was untouchable and beat Salman in 21 by 40-15, Haeng Jik in 25 by 40-36 and Horn in 19 by 40-30. Haeng Jik Kim played a draw to Salman in his last, Horn lost to Tasdemir 40-30 in 19 and squandered his chances.
Standings in Group G:
1. Tayfun Tasdemir 6-1,846-7
2. Haeng Jik Kim 3-1,633-7
3. Martin Horn 2-1,642-7
4. Gökhan Salman 1-1.328-12
Group H:
The top spot was for Sameh Sidhom, who started 40-32 against Blomdahl and saw the lead unchallenged. Jung Han Heo and Torbjörn Blomdahl battled for the next position, Blomdahl was at his best in the match between them: 40-20 in 15. The Swede announced his come-back with the highest score of 32 players in this round: 2,113. It turned out to be the strongest group in averages afterwards.
Standings in Group H:
1. Sameh Sidhom 6-1,904-10
2. Torbjörn Blomdahl 3-2,113-12
3. Jung Han Heo 2-1,539-8
4. Manuel Rui Costa 1-1,400-8
First-round matches in the knockouts, today, Saturday:
11am in Colombia, 5pm in Western Europe:
Sameh Sidhom-Eddy Merckx
Roland Forthomme-Thanh Luc Tran
Jérémy Bury-Peter Ceulemans
Dick Jaspers-Quyet Chien Tran
13.30 in Colombia, 19.30 in Western Europe:
Hong Chiem Thai-Torbjörn Blomdahl
Jun Tae Kim-Tolgahan Kiraz
Berkay Karakurt-Duc Minh Tran
Tayfun Tasdemir-Haeng Jik Kim.
Quarter-finals at 16.00 and 18.30 (in Western Europe 22.00 and 00.30).
Semi-finals and final on Sunday.