LIER/TURNHOUT - The frontrunner in the Belgian team competition, Mister 100, has to miss Bart Ceulemans for three matches. Marco Janssen is the substitute, who started right away with a win for his team this week. Bart Ceulemans underwent surgery on the hearing bone, which was successful. He must nevertheless miss 1 month of competition. Mister 100 won over TBA Biljartpalace 6-2. Marco Janssen beat Eric Hendrickx 40-20 in 23 innings, the team's best game this week.
At four games from the end, Mister 100 ran away one point further of Den Eik, which itself played a draw against Billiard Promotion Team. In that match, Jean Paul de Bruijn beat Eddy Merckx 40-36 in 21 to lead his team to a draw. The championship for Mister 100 comes another step closer. Den Eik is five points behind, Herstalien even on eight points and can in theory only equal Mister 100.
For Mister 100, against TBA, only Kurt Ceulemans lost to Frank Martens 40-33 in 37, the leading man Peter Ceulemans beat Kay de Zwart 40-37 in 26, Jerry Hermans was the better of Ronny Daniels 40-31 in 31 innings.
Den Eik spoiled a precious point, also because Ludo Dielis lost to Peter Meersman by one carom 40-39 in 41 innings. For Den Eik, Jean van Erp did win vs Danny Geysen 40-29 in 30 and Davy van Havere against Marc Janssen 40-28 in 39.
Biljart Express played an excellent match against Op de Meir, the still reigning champion. The Turhout team won 6-2. Roland Uijtdewillegen beat Martin Spoormans, among others, by a run of 10 (40-30 in 26). Guy van Litsenborg started strongly 20-6 in 10 against Stitschinsky and eventually won 40-16 in 29. The leaders Frans van Kuyk and Gerwin Valentijn also took the win. Frans van Kuyk had a better start than Jef Philipoom, who played many balls short, but came back later. Van Kuyk had the best final shot with 40-38 in 21, after Philipoom scored four times in the equalizing inning. Barry van Beers was no match for Gerwin Valentijn, who scored smoothly and won very easily 40-21 in 23, partly due to a run of eight. This victory puts Biljart Express in the number four position in the rankings.
KBC Kortrijk trumped De Leug 6-2 in a home match and, together with Brugse and Billiard Promotion, forms the lower part of the middle group. For Kortrijkse, Ronny Brants, Philippe Vandendriessche and Frédéric Beghin were winners against Wesley de Jaeger, Kenny Miatton and Tim Gorrebeeck in 22, 27 and 35 innings. Only Huub Wilkowski beat Martin Ravestyn 40-25 in 32 innings.
KBC Bruges secured a 5-3 win against Mister 100 2 with the best game for Steven van Acker against Paul Bruijstens (40-33 in 29). Marc Celen won for Lier vs Henk Blauwblomme 40-29 in 33. Bart Leys and Leslie van Neyen drew in 52 innings, Koen Saver was the better of Erwin Hens 40-27 in 38.
Roland Forthomme was the proud leader of the Herstalien team with a very generous win over Tom Löwe: 40-12 in 18. Fréderic Mottet beat Francis Forton 40-36 in 29, but because Dirk Weeremans and Ad Broeders won vs Dany Boutet and Paul Wallerand, the team score remained in balance: 4-4.