VIERSEN - The opening rounds at the three cushion World Championship for national teams in Viersen kept the Germans after a loss and a narrow escape in front of their home crowd. The race, forced the Danish team into a chasing role, put the Dutch in the gallery of main contenders and showed the very strong Turkish team with Murat Naci Coklu and Lütfi Cenet. Mr. Farouk Barki, the UMB president, just finished his speech at the start of the 30th edition of this World championship, when the first surprises started the show at the two match tables in the arena. The Germans had a tough start and kept the Colombians behind with one point after four match balls (40-39), the Danes, which were on the podium last year, were beaten by Greece.
Sixteen nations with teams were in the spotlight at the Viersen Festhalle at the start of the World championship. Played according to the Scotch Double formula (four players together in one match). The top contenders are Korea, Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey, the main teams missing are Sweden, many times winner with Torbjörn Blomdahl and Michael Nilsson, Spain and Italy. The 32 players listened to Mr. Barki's speech who rightly spoke about "coming home" for this 30th time in Viersen. The Koreans are the defending champions, but this time with Jae-Ho Cho and HaengJik Kim on the team. The first performance of the double winner in four years was modest, Lebanon was defeated 40-21 in 40 innings. In this group, Austria won its first match against Egypt 40-26 in 32 innings.
The Dutch team with Dick Jaspers and Raimond Burgman plays in Viersen for the 15th time in this line-up and was the best winner in the first round. The 40-point match in 22 innings was later equalized by the Turks in their second match, in which they missed four match points before they finished. Dick Jaspers is a participant in this World's for the 24th time. The Orange team had a flawless start against Vietnam in the group of death, which also includes Denmark and Greece. The Asians, with two players from the top ten in the world, Quyet Chien Tran and Nguyen Quoc Nguyen, were overwhelmed from the start by the Dutch, who after a 20-3 lead and a run of nine finished 40-26 in 22. In the other group match, Greece beat Denmark 40-32 in 32. That was a slow start for the Danes Tonny Carlsen and Thomas Andersen, the price fighter, with Carlsen recently had his eyes lasered. "I did it an investment in my billiard future.''
The royal couple Caudron/Merckx still have to find their feared rhythm in the Belgian colours. The opening against Mexico was solid with a few highlights, like Caudron's long-short-long shot along the very long rail and and Mexian Raymundo Munoz' short-short-short in the final phase. The Belgian performance was the second in the first session under 30 innings: 40-25 in 28. France joined the club of three with a victory over Japan: after 9-0 in 4 and 28-21 in 18, Jérémy Bury and Gwendal Maréchal finished the match at 40-36 in 29.
The Colombians had an unlucky finish playing Germany, that grabbed the win at the fourth match ball. Robinson Morales commented after the game: "We had to win this game, because we missed one very easy match ball." The former Colombian champion, regularly seen in the World Cups, has moved to Allicante in Spain these days for two months with his wife and daughter. ''It is a beautiful country, where we have wanted to live for a while. I just haven't found a training room so far. The Spanish federation club in Madrid and Dani Sánchez in Barcelona are actually too far away."
In the group with the Germans, Turkey won the match against Peru 40-31 in 33 innings. In the first session for the second round, in the evening session, they impressed with a riant win against the Germans. Colombia took the match against Peru.
Mr. Barki concluded his speech at the start of the tournament with an explanation for the strategy the UMB will follow concerning the start of a new organization in Korea and the possible risks for the players. ''We don't use the rules to scare, threaten or punish the players. We are an organization with its own structure and regulations. In all our lives, we are facing rules, from the time we are children, growing up, in a family, in a club, and in societies. Rules are made to adhere to. That also applies to players who are in the UMB competitions.''
The UMB board meets twice to anticipate the situation. A representative of Bravo, the new organizer, would also join one meeting, but it was cancelled. For now, only two European players from the top 25 have indicated that they are leaving the UMB to join the PBA competition. The new organization, launched in February, has not yet released anything specific about the schedule and the first of the cycle of tournaments, that should start in 11 weeks. At the World championship for nations, it was only discussed behind the scenes. The players in Viersen just concentrate on their sport and just wait for the further evolution.
Dick Jaspers and Raimond Burgman, for the 15th time in this line-up at Viersen World championship
Murat Naci Coklu and Lütfi Cenet, strong performances on the opening day and after two victories close to the quarter finals
Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx, one of the most feared and succesful teams at this World championship
Jérémy Bury and the young talent Gwendal Maréchal: start with a victory for France
Jae-Ho Cho playing for Korea with HaengJik Kim: the title defendeers in Viersen
Ronny Lindemann and Martin Horn: a real testcase on the opening day
Andreas Efler and Arnim Kahofer showing team concentration at the table
Filippos Kasidokostas in the Greek match facing the Danish team