The Agipi arena feels like a second home

SCHILTIGHEIM - On the stands of the Agipi arena they are regular visitors, almost the hard core of the Masters. Pierre Kaiser (62) is the chairman of the BK Bischheim, a club with 35 members on a few kilometers from Schiltigheim. He always accompanied in the tournament by Sylviane Camus, his girlfriend since thirty years. Most of the time they are with friends and other members of the billiard billiard, they are spectators who give color to the Agipi Masters.

In the Agipi arena, where they now are looking forward to the final rounds, they belong to the decor. It feels like a second home. ,,We love billiards and the players who come here'', says Pierre.

,,I have my favorite players of course, like Frédéric Caudron and Marco Zanetti'', Sylviane must confess. ,,But it's really nice to watch each player of the players. The beauty of billiards, especially three-cushion, is the beauty of the caroms and the tensions. And you can talk to the players, even if they are world champion. You can talk about billiards with them about their matches and other things. Billiards is a big family.''

They were already visitors in the Agipi Masters from the first edition in 2008. ,,For sure I hope that the tournament will continue,'' Pierre says. ,,The president, mr Claude Fath, said that the event is certain for next year. We are very happy with that.''

Pierre Kayser and Sylviane live in Mittelhausbergen, four kilometers from Schiltigheim. ,For thirty years we are members of Bischheim BK, I'm the president in the club now, Sylviane is the treasurer. Many of the 35 members often come to watch the Agipi Masters, sometimes with twenty of them. We look billiard and afterwards have a drink in the bar.''

The BK Bischheim belongs to the region of Alsace, which contains about 22 clubs. ,,Most of them are smaller than our club'', says Pierre, who was an analyst and programmer for the French state in his working live. ,,We often organize tournaments with our club, mostly regionals. In the nineties, we once organized a French championship 47/2. And I'm still proud of what we did three years ago, when we grabbed the French title with our team in Andernos. It was only the fourth division, yet they played the Marseillaise for us.''

Not only in the Agipi Masters they are permanent spectators. Pierre and Sylviane also visit other international tournaments, ,,We have visited the World championships in Sankt Wendel in 2008, the World championships in Lausanne in 2009 and in Sluiskil in 2010. Only this year we will not be there. The World championships are in Lima, in Peru, that's a little bit too far.''