LA BAULE - He's only sixteen, Maxime Panaia from Colmar, one of the main talents in French three cushion. Twice, in two years, he was crowned European champion under 17 years. Very gentle boy, with a wonderful technique and well started at the World Cup in La Baule. Together with two other French players in his group, he won his two matches. His last match even after an impressive start, in which Panaia played around two average until the break.
The opening day was mostly French-colored, with not only Maxime Panaia as a group winner. For the second day, also Philippe Malsert, Kévin Perrotin, Michael Devogelaere, Nathan Duriez, Thibaut Espada, Bernard Baudoin, Xavier le Roy and Georges Demos will return into the ring. The best winner was Jung Ju Shin (1.818 average, high run of 14) and Jakob Haack Sörensen (1.764). The most impressive performances came from Shin, who knocked down German Frank Spruzina (30-2 in 14 innings) and Sörensen against Italian Ugo Barresi (30-5 in 14).
The tall Jean Reverchon didn't win his group after his draw against the small Belgian Francis Forton. Bernard Baudoin, the last day winner, took his chances in the final part against Patrick Macquet. On the edge of the shutdown, one Frenchman held down the other in a tactical and defensive grip. Baudoin survived miraculous and finished with 3 for 30-29.
The 37-year-old Dutchman Wilco Meusen was a remarkable and great winner. On Sunday afternoon he played in the high north of the Netherlands national final on the small table. He left the venue around seven to take the car for an 1100 km ride, picked up his friend Marco Wolfs in Maastricht and started the long, nightly trip to La Baule.
,,We also got a car trouble at 3 o'clock in the night and spent two and half hours in a garage. Then we were lucky to continue, but but we only arrived in La Baule at 11 o'clock in the morning.'' Three hours later he had to start his match, which he won. In his second match against Spaniard Torrisco Enrique Jose, Meusen was 24-10 down. He made an amazing come-back and won 30-26.
Among the sixteen day winners were eight French. The top three was formed by Jung Ju Shin (Korea), Jacob Sörensen (Denmark) and Juan Bouterin Bote (Spain). Ricardo Pinto, Kyung-Nam Ko and Jean Reverchon, as the third runner-up, join the winners to the second day.
The sixteen day winners:
1 Jung Ju Shin 4-1.818-14
2 Jacob Sörensen 4-1.764-7
3 Juan Bouterin Bote 4-1.395-7
4 Xavier le Roy 4-1.052-5
5 Sangeun Sung 4-0.952-7
6 Mikaël Devogelaere 4-0.952-5
7 Maxime Panaia 4-0.937-8
8 Wilco Meusen 4-0.937-5
9 Kévin Perrotin 4-0.937-4
10 Philippe Malsert 4-0.779-7
11 Allan Jensen 4-0.740-6
12 Rafael Perez 4-0.625-7
13 Francis Forton 3-1.090-6
14 Thibaut Espada 3-0.923-8
15 Georges Demos 3-0.759-5
16 Bernard Baudoin 2-0.950-7.
Korean Jung Ju Shin top the day ranking
Jacob Haack Sörensen, second best on the opening day
Wilco Meusen, amazing winner after a marathon trip
Bernard Baudoin survived a thrilling match end