HURGHADA - The Hurghada World Cup, as always the last big three cushion event in a year, not only has a reputation as one of the favorite tournaments among players and recreational billiard fans. In the Egyptian resort at the Red Sea we find an organization with many routine and knowledge.
The highly sympathetic Omar Samy Abouzaid (42) is part of the team. In his office, near the billiard room in the Sunrise Beach Garden Hotel, he's the competition director, the man who makes the calculations, the rankings and the schedule of the matches.
Kozoom spoke with one of the brains behind the World Cup on the eve before the tournament. Omar Samy is not only part of this World Cup, he's also one of the board members of the UMB and the European billiard federation.
Passport:
Name: Omar Samy Abouzaid
Residence: Cairo
Born: July 1, 1971
Profession: SAP ERP Senior Consultant, BU Manager
Married, children? Yes, and three children
Function in UMB: UMB sports programmer
Frits Bakker: How long have you been involved with billiard sport in Egypt and how and at what time was your first contact with a club or another organization?
Omar Samy Abouzaid: ,,My first encounter with billiards was when I signed up as a player in the El Shams Club in Cairo about 25 years ago.''
FB: And when was your first contact with the World Cup in Hurghada?
OSA: ,,Already in the early years of the World Cup in 2004 and even before in the Euro Cup in 2002.''
FB: How and why did you join the organization team?
OSA: ,,I was introduced to the team by Mr. Farouk Barki and very soon got a job in the team.''
FB: Very soon you were asked for a function within the UMB, the world federation and the European federation. And not just for the Hurghada World Cup, also for other tournaments in the world.
OSA: ,,I started to work for the CEB and UMB in 2004 and it is a great pleasure to work with Mr. Dupont, Mr. Rittman, Mr. Barki and all the people in the organization. I really hope to continue this work for years. I was part of the team in this year's European championship in Brandenburg. I hope to be there again in the next edition in 2015 and at the World championships in Istanbul in February next year.''
FB: Concerning this year's organization, can you tell us what's new?
OSA: ,,The team is almost the same, only Dr. Nabil Salama, the chief of referees and Miss Susan will not be there for personal reasons.''
FB: Were there any doubts about the tournament and safety guarantee because of the situation in Egypt at a time?
OSA: ,,As it was announced in the UMB news on 11th of October, the Hurghada World Cup should take place as foreseen on the official calendar. And I wish all the players good luck and a very nice time in Hurghada.''
FB : The maximum number of players had signed up within a few days, like in all the other years. We see that some countries, like the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are missing this year, at least they don't show up with many players. Were there cancellations in the months before the event?
OSA: ,,There were a few cancellations due to personal reasons, but only two or three players. And it has been compensated with players from the reserve list.''
FB : How many players will participate from Egypt itself? What do you think of the development in Egypt billiards and in Africa as the new continent?
OSA: ,,The Egyptian players are with 28, that's pretty good. I am not a member of the Egyptian federation, neither from the African continent, so I cannot give an answer regarding the development of billiards.''
FB : What has changed in the World Cup's schedule for this year?
OSA: ,,We play the qualifications with eight tables, that's for the first time since we started. And the matches are to a long distance (40 caroms) instead of sets of fifteen points.''
FB: The Hurghada The World Cup is a monument already for many years on the UMB calendar. You must be proud as an Egyptian to be part of this gorgeous organization.
OSA: ,,We've built it up by working very hard in twelve years of organizing. And of course I am very proud to be part of this successful team.''