ANKARA - Spaniard Sergio Jimenez led the rankings of the qualifications on the first day R the European three cushion championships in Ankara. With matches of 40 in 22 and 24, Jimenez was the best of 16 group winners ahead of Arnim Kahofer and Carlos Crespo. Thirteen players won their group with two wins, Martin Bohac and Burhan Genc survived the qualifiers with one win.
Two of the younger players grabbed the group win: Amir Ibraimov and Dimitrios Seleventas. Two young Turks, Denizcan Akkoca and Seymen Ozbas failed to qualify for the main tournament. Maxime Panaia, Carlos Anguita, Jean van Erp and Kostas Papakonstantinou also missed qualification.
The draw for the first knockout round on Friday:
Knockouts with 32 from 12.30 (Western Europe 11.30):
Torbjörn Blomdahl-Burhan Genc
Manuel Rui Costa-Sergio Jimenez
Eddy Merckx-Cédric Melnytschenko
Jérémy Bury-Tolgahan Kiraz
Marco Zanetti-Ruben Fernandez
Berkay Karakurt-Adrien Tachoire
Roland Forthomme-Ronny Lindemann
Nick Polychronopoulos- Mikaël Devogelaere
Dick Jaspers-Kostas Kokkoris
Jeffrey Jorissen-Carlos Crespo
Jean Paul de Bruijn-Yilmaz Özcan
Peter Ceulemans-Dimitrios Seleventas
Tayfun Tasdemir-Brian Knudsen
Ruben Legazpi-Amir Ibraimov
Glenn Hofman-Arnim Kahofer
Martin Horn-Martin Bohac
The ranking of 16 group winners:
- Sergio Jimenez 4-1,739-9
- Arnim Kahofer 4-1,632-7
- Carlos Crespo 4-1,632-7
- Ronny Lindemann 4-1,481-6
- Adrien Tachoire 4-1,428-9
- Yilmaz Özcan 4-1,379-9
- Amir Ibraimov 4-1. 355-6
- Cédric Melnytschenko 4-1,333-7
- Tolgahan Kiraz 4-1,311-8
- Brian Knudsen 4-1,230-6
- Dimitrios Seleventas 4-1,159-8
- Ruben Fernandez 4-1,159-4
- Mikaël Devogelaere 4-1. 142-12
- Kostas Kokkoris 3-1,230-8
- Martin Bohac 2-1,283-7
- Burhan Genic 2-1,089-6
Sergio Jimenez the best of the qualifiers
Not qualified among others:
Maxime Panaia with 2,-1,480-6
Carlos Anguita 2-1,305-9
Jean van Erp 2-1,183-7
Seymen Ozbas 2-1. 142-8
Denizcan Akkoca 2-1,115-6
Kostas Papakonstantinou 2-1,092-8
Barry van Beers 0-1,163-8
Alessio D'Agata 0-0,849-8
Karina Jetten 0-0,703-3 (46 out of 48).