Birthday
July 12, 1937

Games
1-Cushion
Balk-Line 71/2
Balk-Line 47/1
3-Cushion
Free game
Pentathlon

Equipment
Longoni – Cue

Detailed list of individual victories of Raymond Ceulemans

It’s impossible to list all the wins over the years. We estimate the Belgian has captured more than 300 first places over the years. Below just a recap of his official individual first places.

SeasonLocationOccasionTitle obtainedAverage
1960-61Liege (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,026
1961-62Louvain (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,141
 Kaatsheuvel (Net)European champion3-Cushion1,159
1962-63Halle (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line23,18
 Tongeren (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion6,77
 Den Helder (Net)European champion71/2 balk line24,56
 Brussels (Bel)European champion3-Cushion1,202
 Lisbon (Por)European champion1-Cushion6,60
 Neuss (Ger)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,307
1963-64Elsene (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line20,38
 Hoboken (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion9,09
 Turnhout (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,203
 Copenhagen (Den)European champion3-Cushion1,197
 Den Helder (Net)European champion1-Cushion7,20
 Ostende (Bel)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,223
1964-65Mol (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion13,72
 Grobbendonk (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,242
 Lier (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Montecatini (Ita)European champion1-Cushion6,22
 Vienna (Aut)European champion3-Cushion1,160
 Antwerp (Bel)WorldchampionPentathlon 
 Hilversum (Net)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,290
1965-66Geel (Bel)Belgian champion47/1 balk line25,60
 Antwerp (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line36,41
 Louvain (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion12,38
 Duffel (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,341
 Buenos Aires (Arg)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,191
 Lisbon (Por)European champion3-Cushion1,420
 Krefeld (Ger)European champion1-Cushion10,62
 Tournai (Bel)European champion71/2 balk line53,84
1966-67Boitsfort (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,166
 Lima (Per)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,345
 Angoulême (Fra)European champion3-Cushion1,253
 Deurne (Bel)European champion1-Cushion12,72
1967-68De Panne (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line28,37
 Waterschei (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion11,20
 Liege (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,414
 Madrid (Spa)European champion3-Cushion1,379
 Düren (Ger)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,227
 Tournai (Bel)Worldchampion1-Cushion13,11
 Tarragona (Spa)European champion71/2 balk line29,57
1968-69Boom (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line69,40
 Ghent (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion11,02
 Mol (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 The Hague (Net)European champion3-Cushion1,538
 Tokyo (Jap)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,276
 Alghero (Ita)European champion1-Cushion12,06
1969-70Ghent (Bel)Belgian championStraight rail227,27
 Hasselt (Bel)Belgian champion47/2 balk line75,63
 Deurne (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion11,54
 La Louvière (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,463
 Herentals (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Linz (Aut)WorldchampionStraight rail178,84
 Apeldoorn (Net)European champion1-Cushion9,85
 Murcia (Spa)European championPentathlon 
 Tournai (Bel)European champion3-Cushion1,366
 Las Vegas (USA)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,164
1970-71Beersel (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion15,01
 Ghent (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,653
 Geel (Bel)European champion3-Cushion1,621
 Groningen (Net)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,266
 Valkenburg (Net)European champion71/2 balk line57,38
1971-72Ghent (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line85,71
 Hoboken (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,527
 Dortmund (Ger)European champion3-Cushion1,501
 Ghent (Bel)WorldchampionPentathlon 
 Buenos Aires (Arg)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,315
1972-73Brussels (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,333
 Brussels (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Cairo (Egy)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,478
 Deurne (Bel)European championPentathlon 
1973-74Malines (Bel)Belgian champion47/1 balk line46,70
 Liege (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,274
 Eeklo (Bel)European champion3-Cushion1,527
 Nice (Fra)WorldchampionPentathlon 
1974-75Beerse (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line71,42
 Jemeppe (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,255
 Rotterdam (Net)European champion3-Cushion1,406
 Ghent (Bel)WorldchampionPentathlon 
 La Paz (Bol)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,308
1975-76Verviers (Bel)Belgian champion47/1 balk line36,84
 Hasselt (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,634
 Walsum (Ger)European champion47/1 balk line24,63
 Valencia (Spa)European champion3-Cushion1,563
 Mollerusa (Spa)Worldchampion47/1 balk line30,43
 Louvain (Bel)Worldchampion1-Cushion15,05
 Ostende (Bel)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,500
1976-77Strombeek (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion18,18
 Courtrai (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,506
 Eeklo (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Bottrop (Ger)European champion1-Cushion12,84
 Lausanne (Swi)European champion3-Cushion1,310
 Tokyo (Jap)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,372
 Rotterdam (Net)Worldchampion1-Cushion13,71
1977-78Hoboken (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,484
 Alken (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Zelzate (Bel)European champion1-Cushion13,37
 Copenhagen (Den)European champion3-Cushion1,476
 Bruges (Bel)Worldchampion1-Cushion12,84
 Las Vegas (USA)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,679
1978-79Neeroeteren (Bel)Belgian champion71/2 balk line53,65
 ?Belgian champion1-Cushion10,52
 Vorst (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,448
 Deurne (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Quierschied (Ger)European champion71/2 balk line50,33
 Emmeloord (Net)European champion1-Cushion11,73
 Mollerusa (Spa)Worldchampion1-Cushion10,81
 Düren (Ger)European champion3-Cushion1,369
 Louvain (Bel)European championPentathlon 
 Lima (Per)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,384
1979-80Alken (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion13,63
 Banneux (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,577
 Helsingborg (Swe)European champion3-Cushion1,571
 Buenos Aires (Arg)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,460
1980-81Hechtel (Bel)Belgian champion47/1 balk line34,72
 ?Belgian champion1-Cushion15,30
 Ostende (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,794
 Bruges (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Vienna (Aut)European champion3-Cushion1,382
1981-82St, Niklaas (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Porto (Por)European champion3-Cushion1,365
1982-83Dunkirk (Fra)European champion3-Cushion1,355
 Aix-les-Bains (Fra)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,447
1983-84Kessel (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,497
 Franeker (Net)European champion1-Cushion10,13
 Greve-Strand (Den)Worldchampion1-Cushion14,63
1984-85Manage (Bel)Belgian champion1-Cushion10,56
 Epinal (Fra)European champion1-Cushion12,16
 Heeswijk-Dinther (Net)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,541
1985-86Louveigné (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,690
 Eeklo (Bel)Belgian championPentathlon 
 Dülmen (Ger)European champion1-Cushion10,97
1986-87Waalwijk (Net)European champion3-Cushion1,411
1991-92Cairo (Egy)European champion3-Cushion1,293
1992-93Hooglede (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion 
1998-99Blankenberge (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,634
2000-01Blankenberge (Bel)Belgian champion3-Cushion1,835
2001-02Luxemburg (Lux)Worldchampion3-Cushion1,688

Billiards Worldcup Association

Below a recap of Ceulemans’s victories in BWA tournaments and BWA Grand Prix events – first his three world crowns, then his first places in BWA single tournaments.

YearWorldchampionAverage 
1986Raymond Ceulemans1,2784
1987Raymond Ceulemans1,3594
1990Raymond Ceulemans1,5306
MonthYearLocationTournamentAverage
Nov1986Paris (Fra)BWA World Cup1,163
Oct1987Paris (Fra)BWA World Cup1,303
May1988Antwerp (Bel)BWA Grand Prix1,414
Dec1989Palma De Mallorca (Spa)BWA World Cup1,280
Nov1990Paris (Fra)BWA World Cup1,521
Dec1990Norrköping (Swe)BWA World Cup1,648
Jan1991Rhoon (Net)BWA Grand Prix1,601
Dec1991Seoul (Kor)BWA World Cup1,356
Jan1992Rhoon (Net)BWA Grand Prix1,990
Nov1992Orléans (Fra)BWA World Cup1,492
Nov1993Tokyo (Jap)BWA World Cup1,461
Aug1995Buenos Aires (Arg)BWA Grand Prix1,478
Dec1995Antwerp (Bel)BWA World Cup1,757

CEB Grand Prix tournaments

Twice Raymond Ceulemans became winner of CEB Grand Prix events – in Malmö, Sweden, in February 1987 and in Aalborg, Denmark, in January 1988.

European Championships Pentathlon National Teams

From 1966 thru 1991 this event was held bi-annually and at the time could be seen as one of the major tournaments ever held. Five players of a national team entered in five various disciplines – straight rail, two balk line games, and the 1-cushion and 3-cushion disciplines. Raymond Ceulemans won four European titles here, being member of the Belgian team in 1968, 1970, 1974 and 1991.

Coupe d’Europe Clubteams

Five times Ceulemans won the European title as member of a team. In 1962 (Billard Club Antverpia), 1967, 1968, 1969 (Kempische Biljart Academie) and 1986 (BC Royal Mechelen) his team turned up in first place.

Belgian Cup

Annually since 1989 the Belgian Cup is held, a contest where the best players of Belgium enter. Raymond Ceulemans managed to win this event three times, in 1992, 1994 and 2001.

Superprestige event

This tournament was inaugurated in 1985. No less than seven times Raymond Ceulemans ended up in first place, in 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995 and 1997.

National Grand Prix tournaments

Nationally since the 1984-85 season Grand Prix tournaments are being held. Through the 2000-01 season Raymond Ceulemans captured 39 first prizes on a total of 115 events organized over the years.

Other (inter)national tournaments

Ceulemans captured numerous first places in other tournaments over the years. Just to name a few – 9 times winner of the international Simonis Cup (held at various spots throughout Europe from 1960 thru 1975), winner of the Briljant Tournament in Rotterdam in 1991 and 1992, winner of the Wetsteijn Tournament in 1991, more than 15 (!) times winner of the Boerinnekes Pentathlon event in Antwerp, Belgium, and 20 (!) times victor of the ‘Schaal Van Laere’ 3-cushion tournament in Ghent, Belgium.

Awards

Raymond Ceulemans won various awards during his career. Probably the one he loves most is the fact he was named ‘Sportsman of 1978’ in his country, likely the first time a billiardplayer turned up first before athletes in other fields. Ceulemans also is holder of the Belgisch ‘Order of Merits’ (1967-68), and was named member of honor of the Belgisch and Dutch Billiards Federation.

Records

Raymond Ceulemans has established numerous world-, European and national records in various disciplines of the billiards sport. The list of records mentioning here would take too much space. It’s remarkable though the now 65 years old (July 12, 1937) ‘Maestro’ has bettered all his marks when he had reached the age of 60…

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