Steve Canniford BLOG-NEWS, English Billiards, Gold Waistcoat Tour

Billiards Grand Masters

NATIONAL “GRAND MASTERS” INDIVIDUAL BILLIARDS CHAMPIONSHIP

Charlie Gay (St Day & Redruth RBL) started his Grand Masters campaign by playing in the South West Area qualifying playoffs, a field of 8 quality players including England Internationals Devon’s Bill Andress & Dorset’s Brian Harvey had to play down to 1 qualifier to go through to the National Qtr-finals.

Charlie won his first match against Martin Phillips by 320 pts to 276 pts, with Charlie recording a break of 57. In his second match he played Brian Harvey and won 413 pts to 372 pts, Charlie recording breaks of 50 & 72, and Brian a 64. In Charlie’s third and final match he played Bill Andress and won convincingly 554 pts to 298 pts, recording breaks of 55; 80 & 121, with Bill making a 59.

Charlie Gay travelled to Nuneaton last Sunday, 13th March to play in the last 8 of the English Amateur Billiards Association’s National “Grand Masters” Championship held at The Atack Snooker Centre, Regent St, Nuneaton. Charlie played Jim McCann in the qtr-finals winning by the small margin of 17pts after 1.5hrs play, 302 pts to 285pts. Charlie recorded breaks of 51 & 53, with Jim making a 42. Charlie then went on to play Brian Moffatt in the semi-finals again winning this time by a 237pt margin after 1.5hrs, 542pts to 305pts, Charlie recorded breaks of 34;38;41;& 62, with Brian making a 40. In the final Charlie faced Dave Burgess, but could not reproduce earlier form and lost by 437pts to 292pts, Charlie recorded breaks of 33; 33; & 37, with Dave recording breaks of 37; 46 & 64.

 

Steve Canniford BLOG-NEWS, English Billiards, Gold Waistcoat Tour

Cornwall Leads The Way

NATIONAL “GRAND MASTERS” INDIVIDUAL BILLIARDS CHAMPIONSHIP

Charlie Gay (St Day & Redruth RBL) started his Grand Masters campaign by playing in the South West Area qualifying playoffs, a field of 8 quality players including England Internationals Devon’s Bill Andress & Dorset’s Brian Harvey had to play down to 1 qualifier to go through to the National Qtr-finals.

Charlie won his first match against Martin Phillips by 320 pts to 276 pts, with Charlie recording a break of 57. In his second match he played Brian Harvey and won 413 pts to 372 pts, Charlie recording breaks of 50 & 72, and Brian a 64. In Charlie’s third and final match he played Bill Andress and won convincingly 554 pts to 298 pts, recording breaks of 55; 80 & 121, with Bill making a 59.

Charlie Gay travelled to Nuneaton last Sunday, 13th March to play in the last 8 of the English Amateur Billiards Association’s National “Grand Masters” Championship held at The Atack Snooker Centre, Regent St, Nuneaton. Charlie played Jim McCann in the qtr-finals winning by the small margin of 17pts after 1.5hrs play, 302 pts to 285pts. Charlie recorded breaks of 51 & 53, with Jim making a 42. Charlie then went on to play Brian Moffatt in the semi-finals again winning this time by a 237pt margin after 1.5hrs, 542pts to 305pts, Charlie recorded breaks of 34;38;41;& 62, with Brian making a 40. In the final Charlie faced Dave Burgess, but could not reproduce earlier form and lost by 437pts to 292pts, Charlie recorded breaks of 33; 33; & 37, with Dave recording breaks of 37; 46 & 64.

 

Steve Canniford BLOG-NEWS, English Billiards, Gold Waistcoat Tour

National Billiards

AMATEUR BILLIARDS CHAMPIONSHIP (ABC) RANKING TOUR
This season saw Cornwall’s Chris Mitchell, and Geoff Lingard compete in each of the six monthly rounds, of the National Amateur Billiards Championship (ABC) Ranking Tour played at venue around the country.
Again Chris & Geoff did very well, which has been reflected in the latest National Billiards Rankings, which includes Charlie Gay & Steve Downing.

This is a first for Cornwall having four players in the top 75 Billiard players nationally.

The latest ranking lists show Devon’s Bill Andress at 10th; Dorset’s Brian Harvey at 12th; Cornwall’s Geoff Lingard 15th; Chris Mitchell 21st Steve Downing 25th & Charlie Gay 67th (does not inc his latest results).

 

Steve Canniford BLOG-NEWS, Gold Waistcoat Tour, Snooker Tournaments

Gold Waistcoat Initiative

GOLD LINING FOR NEW SNOOKER INITIATIVE THROUGHOUT THE WEST COUNTRY

Snooker and Billiards in the West Country reached new heights following the West of England Billiards and Snooker Foundation (WEBSF) sponsorship agreement with the Tindle Group, owners of the Sunday Independent. The agreement involves sponsoring a new Snooker Tournament to be known as the Gold Waistcoat Tour. The tour commences on the 19th March 2005, 10am at the Victoria Snooker Centre, St Budeaux, Plymouth. This is followed by two more tournaments at Bells Court Snooker Club Falmouth and Sidwell Snooker Club Exeter. Each venue hosting one tournament in the series in April and May respectively. The tournament concludes with a finals day at the Victoria Snooker Centre in June. There will be cash prizes and trophies presented at each tournament. As this is a pilot scheme the first 32 entries received will be guaranteed a place on the tour, so be quick! Full dress code will be a condition of entry along with a fee of £25 per tournament and a £10 membership to join the West of England Billiards & Snooker Foundation. The format of the tournament will be run on the same lines as the highly successful Silver & Bronze junior waistcoat tours.

The purpose of this new tour is to provide structured tournaments open to any amateur player who resides within the boundaries of the West of England (Devon, Dorset, Cornwall, Bristol & Avon, Wiltshire Somerset & Gloucestershire). Roger Cole spokesman for the WEBSF said “This joint venture between the two parties will benefit all snooker players of all ages through out the West of England. We would like to thank Mr John Collins, the editor of the Sunday Independent for sharing the same vision as our management team. Bringing our sport to a much wider audience and participation.

Since the launch of the WEBSF back in September 2004, by our patron six times former World Professional Snooker Champion Ray Reardon, we have gained recognition from the English Association for Snooker & Billiards (EASB) along with the Devon and Cornwall County Associations, Plymouth, Exeter and the Redruth Mining Leagues. All have shown their support to develop and promote our foundation throughout the Southwest. We will also be introducing a regular column each week called “Ask The Experts” where readers will be able to forward questions to the panel on all topics relating to Snooker and Billiards this is another first for the Southwest.”

He went on to say “The Foundation has attracted financial support in the form of sponsorship. This we are passing on to our members, assisting them with travel, accommodation and entry fees to tournaments. Two of the first recipients are Kris Vincent who is representing England in Malta and Andy Symons-Rowe who has reached the final of the English Amateur Championship which will be held at Woking in May 2005. The foundation has produced a compressive Snooker Coaching Manual, which has attracted interest from some of the household names in the sport. We also have six WEBSF registered Billiards and Snooker Coaches based throughout the Southwest and we are heading towards 100 WEBSF members.