Cedar Court Leeds / Bradford
Mayo Avenue, Rooley Lane
Bradford
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United Kingdom
www.gb9balltour.com
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Friday/Saturday/Sunday 7-9 June 2013
Karl Boyes - 2013 GB9 Northern Masters Champion
GUAPO SORTS THE BOYES FROM THE MEN
This year’s Northern Masters has reached its conclusion on the GB 9 Ball Tour, with Karl Boyes and Michael Rhodes taking home the major silverware from the tour’s annual 10-ball event.
This was the first event in four years to take place in Yorkshire – somewhat of a heartland for American Pool in the UK. Many of the county’s players were there to try their shot at the title. However, many of the country and indeed continent’s finest players were also there battling it out to take the title home with them and an electric tournament resulted in a quite thrilling final in Bradford.
The Northern Masters final for 2013 was contested between two of the most seasoned players in the UK right now. Karl Boyes, finally hitting somewhat of a purple patch in the domestic season, and Mark Gray who was looking to cement his place at the top of the provisional British rankings in readiness for the end of season World Pool Masters qualifiers.
Boyes started his campaign started his campaign in the tournament with a comfortable 9 racks to 2 victory against Brett Armer, following this up with a 9-5 victory over Jez Graham to put him safely into the last 32 stage. An international flavour came up in the next match as Bruno Muratore tried to stop Boyes in his tracks. It was Boyes who made it though, however, as he overcame the efforts of the pony-tailed Italian in a tense 9-8 win. This saw him through to a match against Sunderland’s Adam Benn Smith in the last 16, a match which he came through 9 racks to 4 and safely putting him into the last 8. There he faced an almighty fright from Benji Buckley before again coming through another hill-hill encounter, eliminating the Sheffield shooter 9-8 and putting him into the final four. Waiting for him there was Chris Hall of Wakefield, and he made sure of back to back victories over Yorkshiremen with a gritty 9-5 win, seeing him into his first main event final since July 2010.
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Mark Gray began his challenge for the title against Colin Connor, and a straightforward 9-3 victory meant he next faced Pablo Garcia Lagar for a place in the last 32. He managed to go one better in this match, disposing of the Spaniard 9-2 and paving the way for a clash with April’s Paul Medati Trophy runner-up Craig Osborne. The man from Ipswich wasn’t going to replicate April’s feats as Gray eliminated him from the tournament 9 racks to 4. Gray saw himself into the last 16 against Andy Worthington, but another 9-2 victory saw him ease through to a potentially mouth-watering clash against Chris Melling, hoping to take the title back to Keighley with him in what was practically a home tournament for the Mosconi Cup MVP. The match was anything but the classic people were expecting, however, with Gray easing through 9-1 and setting up a semi-final against Imran Majid, himself looking to keep the pressure on Gray at the top of the provisional rankings. Gray was once again on the right end of the scoreline, and another 9-4 victory meant he made his way into the final without dropping more than four racks in any of his matches. A staggering statistic and form that was sure to bring out a brutal final.
The match was as tense as people were expecting, with Gray taking a 10-8 lead before Boyes edged the match back to level pegging at 10-10 with one rack to play. Gray had already run four racks in the match and Boyes picked the perfect time to make his fourth and final dish, sealing the title with a superb run out and an 11-10 victory which saw him rise to 2nd place in the provisional rankings with only his beaten finalist Mark Gray now standing above him.
RHODES END FOR DAD AS MICHAEL WINS CHALLENGE
The third Challenge Cup event of the season was fittingly contested by two northerners – Durham’s Michael Rhodes looking to take home his first GB9 title after two defeats in finals last season, and Keighley’s Arfan Dad looking to take home back to back Challenge Cup titles after his success back in April.
Rhodes saw off Paul Taylor and Courtney Symons 7-2, Sam Hirst 7-1 and Stewart Colclough 7-3 to reach the final, whereas Dad fended off the challenges of Jamie Bryan 7-4, Hector Luna Iglesias 7-2, Craig Osborne 7-1 and Tommy Donlon 7-2 to join Rhodes in the final showdown. After taking a 6-4 lead, Dad pulled the match back to 6-6 to take him one rack from winning his second Challenge Cup title of the season. Rhodes held his nerve, however, and sealed a 7-6 win to take home his first piece of silverware this season.
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GB9 will return for the Southern Masters on 9 August 2013
from the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted Airport, UK
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