ANTWERPEN – What is our policy for background music? Is the lighting over the billiards taken care of, the opening ceremony all prepared, the tickets, is it all according to plan? Do we need more hostesses?
Ludo Dielis is the chief organizer. Luc Hulselmans, jokingly called the WC floor manager is in charge of the room layout, seating, furniture, stands, camera’s and everything else in the arena. Lieve de Block is the invaluable secretary and Sophie Naze is the event organizer responsible for the opening, the closing ceremony, the hotels and the shuttles. As a team, they leave nothing to chance in these crucial last days.
,,I don’t want to forget anybody’’, says Dielis. ,,Dirk van Mechelen, mayor, Flemish MP and former cabinet member, is chairman of our organization. He can’t be here this afternoon, but this morning he was here, making himself useful.’’
The WC team has reached the home stretch of a road that leads to a highly anticipated World Championship. The best 3-cushion players in the world will meet from wednesday on, in the Lotto Arena in Antwerp. The prize is the title currently held by Eddy Merckx, for which ten or even fifteen contenders have a realistic chance.
Ludo Dielis was up and about at 6 AM, as construction work in the arena started. The former top player and reknowned organizer of the Supergala events looked at it with approval. ,,It will look great. This will no doubt be a fantastic WC.’’
He does not forget to compliment his team emphatically. ,,For the first time in my career as organizer I can delegate, and do that with confidence. We have finely tuned team, the right people on the right places. Their work is crucial to this tournament.’’
Two years ago, Dielis took the initiative and – during the St. Wendel tournament – volunteered to organize the 2013 edition. ,,The actual nuts and bolts of the work take about a year’’, he explains. Lieve adds: ,,I have worked two jobs in this organizing year, often into the wee hours.’’ Sophie: ,,My profession is event organizer, and I fit right in here. I have become more and more involved, this will be a great event.’’
The tournament will be a success if the stands in the Lotto Arena will be well filled every day. Dielis: ,,We have built an arena that holds 1500 people, but there is even room for expanding that to 2000. I am positive that especially Wednesday (with many youngsters), Saturday and Sunday we’ll see capacity crowds. We have sold 1000 to 1250 tickets per day on average.’’
On top of that, says Dielis, we are proud of the tv coverage. We have Kozoom broadcasting every match live, but also the Belgian tv will show up to record. The spectacular opening (wednesday 13.00) will be live on ATV (Antwerp). On Saturday and Sunday we are live on Sporza, a national network. This will be a challenge: how will the Belgian audiences react? Will billiards be revived this week?’’
On Sunday evening, not only will there be a new world champion, also Ludo Dielis and his team will make up their end evaluation. ,,We have given it our all, in order to create something wonderful here.’’