3-Cushion
SCHILTIGHEIM - The history of billiards is losing one of its huge monuments these days. The French team championship this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) terminates a period of golden years in the auditorium of Agipi in Schiltigheim. High class players from all over the world in the game type of three cushion have shone in this venue, where the famous Agipi team spent its glorious years. And where the famous Agipi-Masters caused six long years of unforgettable highlights, with high-level and thrilling matches, live broadcasts by Kozoom and the replays by Eurosport 2 for millions of people.
What is the most wonderful memory?
Was it the improbable comeback Frédéric Caudron did in his match against Dick Jaspers? When the Belgian, in one of the most bizarre fights ever, came back after a gap of 44-7 and won 50-47?
Torbjörn Blomdahl's comeback after a period in which he rarely won and even the experts thought that it was the end of his era? Too early... He turned out into the champion of the brilliant start when he won for the second time: Blomdahl led in his match against Kasidokostas 31-0 after six innings. And against Sung-Won Choi 24-6 in three (run of twenty), followed by runs of 9 and 13 later in the match?
Was it the Dutch battle Dick Jaspers against Jean Paul de Bruijn, in which Jaspers scored runs of 17 and 20, but the game still ended in a draw?
Or the incredibly high level in one weekend of qualifications with Dani Sánchez (2.469), Tayfun Tasdemir (2.326), Jae Ho Cho (2.313) and Marco Zanetti (2.124)?
Was it the final victory of Marco Zanetti, the only Agipi player who won the Masters in six years? The Italian, in his best year ever, played a miraculous semi-final against Dick Jaspers, closed a 26 caroms backlog and finished 50-49 with a lucky shot as the winner.
With the closure of the stronghold, where Agipi director Claude Fath wrote an everlasting billiards history, Kozoom wants to look back on all those wonderful years.
The Agipi Masters, from 2008 to 2013, gave the billiards arena the best known. The tournament, which was known for its exceptionally high prize money (Dick Jaspers was record holder with 100.750 euros in six tournaments), was won twice by Dick Jaspers, twice by Torbjörn Blomdahl, once by the Korean Sung-Won Choi and the last time by Agipi star Marco Zanetti.
The Agipi arene was opened in 2006.
The best matches were played by Dick Jaspers (50 in 12 innings, 2011) and Filippos Kasidokostas (50 to 12, 2010).
Dick Jaspers scored the highest Agipi run (22) twice: once in the Masters in 2008 and once in the French league against Frédéric Caudron in a match he lost 50-48 in 13 innings.
Frédéric Caudron recorded the highest tournament average: 2.398 over 7 games (2010).
With six of the main stars, we dive into the glorious years in this final weekend: the four Agipi players (Frédéric Caudron, Marco Zanetti, Jérémy Bury and Jean-Christophe Roux) preferred to give a common answer.
1 What was your best match in the Agipi arena?
Frédéric Caudron: against Klaus Bosel 50 in 14 innings.
Marco Zanetti: against Martin Horn, 50 in 14 innings.
Jérémy Bury: against Kyung-Roul Kim, 50 in 13 innings.
Jean-Christophe Roux: against Dani Sánchez, 50 in 22 innings.
Torbjörn Blomdahl: against Filippos Kasidokostas, 50-7 in 20 innings.
Martin Horn: against Dick Jaspers: he led 18-1 and I won.
2 What is your dearest memory in all those years?
Agipi players: the first European Cup victory against Turkey, playing with Sayginer, Tasdemir, Yüksel and Coklu. Agipi was not the favorite, it was a stunning victory.
Torbjörn Blomdahl: my first victory in the Agipi Masters when my son jumped into my arms after the last carom.
Martin Horn: my first French championship with Laxou.
3 What has Agipi meant for billiard sports in general and French billiards in particular?
Agipi players:
It has brought the very best to France, with eight European Cup titles in a row. Agipi was the biggest sponsor ever in billiards together with Crystal Kelly. In a few years people will realize how important Agipi has been for billiards, not only in France but throughout the whole world.
Torbjörn Blomdahl: Agipi has developed into an equivalent of a highest level organization. It was a goal for every player to win here.
Martin Horn: the best tournament ever organized, that's how everyone will remember it.
4 What would you like to say to Mister Claude Fath as a farewell?
Agipi players:
Thank you!!!! For having given us the possibility to share so many fantastic moments together.
Torbjörn Blomdahl: a huge thanks for helping our sport in the right direction. I believe that he is as sad as we are that this is the last time.
Martin Horn: Thank you, thank you very much for everything you've done.
On behalf of the Kozoom editors, also thanks to Jean-Jacques Gangloff, the Agipi entertainer and speaker for participation in this interview.
His comment: ,,For us, my wife Chantal, my daughter Valériane and me, this means the end of a wonderful adventure on the highest level of billiards for nine years... Since 2006, exactly 26th of May, we had more than 200 days of high level competition with the best players in the world.''
And thanks to Jonathan Montel, the Agipi sportsdirector, for the statistics.