LAUSANNE - The new European president returns to her first love next month. The Lausanne Billiards Masters (17th to 19th of November) are on the calendar for the fifth year running, and Diane Wild is the figurehead and driving force behind the prestigious tournament in Lausanne. The invitation was sent to twelve instead of ten players for this year. The formula is the same as in the previous four years with Marco Zanetti (2x), Dick Jaspers and Dani Sánchez as winners.
The daily life of the Swiss Diane Wild is even more dedicated to billiards since her election as CEB President, the European Billiards Federation. With her renewed management team, the leading lady launched some major plans to realize together with the federations for the development of billiards, the organization of European championships and tournaments and impulses for projects to inspire young players. ,,That's the first priority of the board'', says Diane Wild. ,,We have a very dynamic and motivated committee and we have many goals in mind. The main thing is to stimulate youth.''
The first contours of the new policy are already visible. Diane: ,,We started to realize our plans as quickly as possible. That means we are very busy with contacts, a lot of phone calls and updates every day. I can say now that for the first time in history, in one year, we organize European championships in three-cushion, 5-pins and free game under 21, free game under 17 and free game for teams under 19. The tournament is organized in Roncin, France, in the Easter weekend, 30 March to 2 April. The CEB will help the organization with an amount of 100 euro per player, representing an amount of 7000 euros. That's already a huge success. The responsibility is for all of us: the board, the federations, confederations to realize our goals step by step. It's not just our mission to motivate the federations, but also to help them. The Spanish school is a wonderful example. We are already in contact with the staff there.''
For the time being, the Lausanne Billard Masters is the main event to cast its shadow: Diane Wild and her team are in full preparation. The fifth edition at the Casino Montbenon in Lausanne is played with twelve players, divided into three flights of four. The world top is present, except the new number three, the Korean Haeng-Jik Kim. Nikos Polychronopoulos was invited for the first time among the European players. There are three Swiss players added to the nine invited top players.
Diane Wild: "The main goal of organizing this tournament is to promote billiard sports. We would like to see a bigger audience in the stands, but three cushion needs to gain popularity in Switzerland. We show them the top of the world in Lausanne and try to invite people to come and see this wonderful sport.''
The group compositions:
Group A:
Dani Sánchez (Spain)
Nikos Polychronopoulos (Greece)
Jérémy Bury (France)
Michel Boulaz (Switzerland)
Group B:
Dick Jaspers (The Netherlands)
Torbjörn Blomdahl (Sweden)
Jae-Ho Cho (South Korea)
Fernando Couto (Switzerland)
Group C:
Marco Zanetti (Italy)
Frédéric Caudron (Belgium)
Dong-Koong Kang (South Korea)
Ten Duy Ma (Switzerland).
The total prize money is 34.850 Swiss francs, of which 2000 for the winner and 1500 for the runner-up. In addition, there is a bonus for high runs, matches under the 20 innings and general average above the two.
Diane Wild: ,,With the tournament we support, together with the Merck Foundation, Sport for MS for people with multiple sclerosis. Merck will pay five Swiss francs for each point to the Romandy Center of the Swiss MS Society. The amount raised by the action will be used to promote physical activity among multiple sclrerosis sufferers.''
Dani Sánchez, former winner in Lausanne
Diane Wild during the CEB congres in Rome, where she was elected as the new president