BLANKENBERGE - The finals at the Multi Championships in Belgium, with a total of some 140 matches over eight days in all disciplines, brings the last champions to the podium on Sunday afternoon in the Casino of Blankenberge. The big winner is Patrick Niessen, the 57-year-old classical player, who already has three titles to his name and is still in the hunt for the last two. His goldrush puts him among the best three Belgian billiard players in history. Frédéric Caudron leads that ranking ahead of Raymond Ceulemans and Patrick Niessen.
On the later Friday evening, the first four matches for the eighth finals of three-cushion were played. Roland Forthomme, Peter Ceulemans, Eddy Merckx and Frédéric Mottet were the first players to qualify for the quarter-finals. The most appealing match is already known: Eddy Merckx-Roland Forthomme.
Henri Pelgrims, the competition leader, announced the penultimate day on the early Saturday morning, which included the juniors, two balk-line disciplines and the five five pins participants playing for the title. ''We can already look back on a great championship,'' said Pelgrims, who is directing the 4th Multi's for himself on the way to the 140 matches project. ''The stands have been well filled for a whole week, now it gets even busier in the final days. On Friday evening, many people came to watch the first knock-outs in the three cushion, today the juniors are playing, they also bring a lot of spectators.'' The game leader notes that the schedule has been well maintained. ''We only had some problems on Friday (the 13th), including with the lighting. Therefore, it was a bit late, we played until midnight.'' Among the spectators, many famous people, including Raymond Ceulemans, who came to support his family, and Reginald Depoorter, who turns 86 in a fortnight' time and, while enjoying some beers, still is the maestro in telling wonderful stories and memories.
Patrick Niessen's first three titles were won on Friday in one cushion, 47/2 and 47/1 with Francis Forton, Maarten Janssen, Peter De Backer and Johan Devos also on the podium. Niessen won the 47/1 in a double match with Peter De Backer, both finishing with six match points, but Niessen was the better in average with 22.16 against 14.26 for De Backer. Niessen won the decisive match 150-35 in five innings.
In one cushion, Patrick Niessen defeated his last rival, Francis Forton, in two encounters on Friday. The champion won 120-95 in 17 and 120-70 in 17. Finally on Friday evening, Niessen crowned himself champion in 47/2, in the last meeting with Maarten Janssen in a flawless performance: 250-1 in 1.
Today, Saturday, Niessen will still play Philippe Deraes in 71/2 and Maarten Janssen in free game, with the chance of picking up his fifth Belgian title.
Roland Forthomme was the best winner in the four matches for the eighth finals three-cushion on Friday. Forthomme beat Davy van Havere 40-35 in 25, Eddy Merckx won against Johan Loncelle 40-32 in 32, Peter Ceulemans against Marco Janssen 40-27 in 37, Frédéric Mottet from Danny Wuyts 40-30 in 37.
Ismaele Trentino is the top favorite to win 5 pins with 4 wins ahead ahead of Miguel Bustos with 3 and Peter Debaes with 2. Gianluca Memmi and Peter Engelbos follow with 1 win.
In artistic, Erik Vervliet leads with 349 from 178 attempts ahead of Eric Daelman with 342-173, Steve Wilms with 319-190 and Walter Bax with 313-183. These four players will play the semi-finals.
In the juniors, Nick Rosier plays Tim van Hoeck and Nino Coeckelbergs against Luca Philipoom in the early morning on Saturday.
The three-cushionmatches for the final evening session (21.00):
Steven van Acker-Henk Blauwblomme
Peter De Backer-Kurt Ceulemans
Jef Philipoom-Ronny Brants
Francis Forton-Bart Ceulemans.
Patrick Niessen on his way to 3, 4 or 5 titles
85-year old Reginald Depoorter, the president for many years in Belgium, watching the games