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Topic: *Industry News* 2011

35th BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships Underway
By Samm Diep for CSI

The 35th Annual BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships began today at the Riviera Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 12 day extravaganza, which includes 30 divisions in the BCAPL nationals plus the CSI produced U.S. Open One Pocket Championship and U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship, kicks off with the fourth annual 9-Ball Challenge.

This event draws players of all calibers. Last year’s finalists Chris Melling and Brian Gregg were not in the mix but Jesse Engel, Dan Louie, Jason Kirkwood, and top finisher from last year, Stan Tourangeau will be trying their luck. The final 8 of the 175 player field return Thursday, May 12th vying for their piece of the 9-Ball Challenge $18,400 payout.

CSI introduced two additional 9-Ball divisions, the 9-Ball Open Singles created for open players only, and the 9-Ball Teams of 3-player women’s, mixed open, and mixed advanced/masters divisions. It’s CSI’s objective to provide more opportunities and activities for the fans and players.

Also just announced, Bob Jewett has graciously offered to add an additional $10,000 to the 14.1 Challenge for any player who can match or beat Mosconi’s high single run of 426 balls. With CSI’s $10,000, this brings the total prize to $20,000 for a successful attempt. This added prize money anticipates drawing a new gambit of 14.1 participants and spectators.

The Players’ meeting for the 12th U.S. Open One Pocket Championship was held last night in the CSI arena. Matches got underway today at 10 am. All brackets for both the 35th BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships and the 12th U.S. Open One Pocket Championship can be viewed at www.ctsondemand.com. The U.S. open events are also being pay-per-view live streamed via TAR at www.theactionreport.com.

CueSports International is dedicated to creating more choices for all players. CSI is the parent company of the BCA Pool League and the USA Pool League. CSI also produces independent events such as the U.S. Bar Table Championships, the Jay Swanson Memorial, the U.S. Open One Pocket Championship and the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship. Visit www.playcsipool.com, www.playbca.com and www.playusapool.com for more information about CSI and its divisions.

New billiard cloth distributor will drive sales in South Africa

Milliken, the producers of Strachan billiard cloth, has increased its global reach following the appointment of Union Billiards as its new distributor for South Africa.

Owned by Rory Blake-Taylor, Union Billiards has served the cue sport market since 1954. It makes snooker, pool, billiard and poker tables and the Hurricane brand of foosball tables from its head office in Roodepoort, Johannesburg.

With business partners in countries ranging from Beijing to the US, this latest appointment brings to 24 Milliken’s international supplier network.

Milliken continues to support and sponsor the development of snooker and pool worldwide. This involves working with the International Billiards & Snooker Federation and the African Billiards & Snooker Federation, to which 15 countries are affiliated.

In September snooker and other cue sports will be included in the All-African Games for the first time when they take place in Mozambique.

Milliken marketing director Duncan Kettell said: “Amateur snooker is now fully international and starting to provide new names to compete in the professional arena.

“It’s great to see the amateur game in such good health in many parts of the world and countries such as Africa, India and Brazil have the potential to make a real impact on the expanding professional circuit.

“Union Billiards, with outlets in Cape Town and Durban, gives Milliken a great platform to develop cue sports in South Africa and we are delighted to have such a successful company on board,” said Kettell.

WPBSA Statement

Following a full and comprehensive investigation into a match at the UK Championship in December 2008, the Scottish Crown Counsel has decided that there is insufficient evidence to justify a criminal prosecution.

This case has now been referred to the WPBSA for consideration of disciplinary proceedings against the two members who contested the match, Stephen Maguire and Jamie Burnett.

WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: "We are treating this case very seriously. We will now be given access to the evidence connected with the case, and our disciplinary committee will review that evidence thoroughly."

Billiards Giant Viking Cue Reopens Under New Leadership

Pool cue manufacturing leader Viking Cue Manufacturing, LLC reopens under the new ownership of Wisconsin businessman Mark Larson. Nearly all of the same employees were rehired, though executive team has innovative plans for new direction.

MADISON, WI—May 14, 2011—After closing doors on pool cue manufacturing in 2010, billiards leader Viking Cue has reopened under the leadership of local businessman Mark Larson.

Larson, a longtime friend of Viking's 27-year veteran VP of Manufacturing, Rick Rolli, placed a bid on the business after a visit to the company's facilities. "I really fell in love with the operation and the rich history of Viking. I knew that there was another chapter just waiting to be written," said Larson, who purchased the company on May 9.

Founded in 1965 by Gordon Hart, who remains with the company as a consultant, Viking has a worldwide reputation for craftsmanship and excellence. "Viking has always had a superior product line and an incredibly loyal following in the billiards industry," said industry veteran Rolli. "We're going to breathe life back into this company. We've got the same facility, a great inventory of product, state of the art equipment and the same artisans, many who have been here for over 25 years."

Since the company has rehired nearly all of the same employees, little will change within its basic infrastructure, though the company has plans for new initiatives. "We're bringing back the family and the employees, and we'll never lose sight of the quality Viking is known for. But we're about to make big pushes in marketing and product offerings. It's what this company needs to thrive."

One of Viking’s main goals is to create a top-notch interactive website so that dealers and individual customers alike have easy access to Viking products. "In the past, Viking didn't have a strong web presence. Dealers couldn't just go online and buy cues. We want to make ordering easy for everyone, and create an online image that reflects Viking's unmatched craftsmanship," said Rolli.

The company also plans to reach out to new markets, and make the company's products accessible to more people: plans for additional product and accessory lines with multiple price points to appeal to a broader audience. Though the goals are largely customer-focused, another main concern is giving dealers the tools they need to succeed.

Reflecting on his plans for the company, Larson stressed his interest in the company's history and tradition. "The main thing we want to let Viking fans know is that the core product isn't changing. The quality remains the same. But let's put it this way — we're racking up for a fresh new break. Our game is about to get a lot more interesting, and we're more than excited to share what we've got."

About: Since 1965, Viking Cue Manufacturing, Inc. has been an industry leader in two-piece pool cue production. With headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, Viking products are proudly made in the USA with commitment to quality, craftsmanship and time-honored tradition.

For more information about Viking Cue, visit www.vikingcue.com or call 800-397-0122.

PTCs Offer New Route For Tour Qualifying

Amateur players will have the chance to earn a place on the World Snooker Tour via this season's Players Tour Championship.

At the end of the 2011/12 season, the top eight on the final PTC Order of Merit, who have not already qualified by finishing in the top 64 of the world rankings, will be handed a place on the 2012/13 Tour.

This replaces the criteria used for the 2011/12 season, where only Tour players among those eight players on the Order of Merit were eligible.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "This is another step towards opening the game up, giving everybody a chance to qualify and making sure we have the best players on the professional Tour.

"Last season there were some fantastic performances in the PTC events from amateurs such as Daniel Wells and Michael Wasley, and this time we are rewarding amateurs and giving them every encouragement to enter the PTC events.

"We are going into new territories with the PTC series this season and hoping to broadcast some of the European ones on Eurosport. The players are realising now that these events are not to be missed and I hope to see record numbers."

The first four events in the series are now open for entry - all the details can be found in the entry pack which can be downloaded at worldsnooker.com. DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO BE PART OF THE PTC SERIES. THE CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES IS JUNE 7TH.

There will be 12 events in the PTC series, six in the UK and six in Europe. Players will be listed in the Order of Merit according to how much money they have won, with the top 24 to go through to the Grand Finals.

Snooker Heading Down Under

World Snooker will stage the first ever ranking event in Australia in July, a clear sign of the growing popularity of the sport on a global scale.

The Victorian Government, IMG Worldwide and World Snooker announced that the new tournament on the prestigious World Snooker Tour is named the Australian Goldfields Open and this inaugural event will be played in Bendigo from 18 – 24 July, 2011.

The agreement will see a world ranking event staged in Australia for each of the next three years at Bendigo Stadium.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Louise Asher explained what this announcement meant for Victoria.

"The Australian Goldfields Open will be played in Bendigo from 18-24 July 2011 providing an outstanding opportunity to see top sporting action in regional Victoria.

“The Australian Goldfields Open is the latest addition to Victoria’s award winning major events calendar of exciting, world-class events that is sure to thrill and entertain Victorians and visitors alike.
“The event will showcase our beautiful and historic Goldfields region through a global broadcast which will reach over 66 countries; including key tourism markets such as China and the United Kingdom.
“This event really puts Bendigo on the map and raises the profile of regional Victoria on the world stage,” said Ms Asher.
These events bring an international flavour to regional Victoria and are an opportunity for visitors to take advantage of Bendigo and the surrounding region’s tourist attractions during their visit.
“The Coalition Government is committed to supporting tourism in regional Victoria and we are delighted to welcome this exciting event to our state,” added Ms Asher.

Martin Jolly, Senior Vice President and Managing Director IMG Asia Pacific said: “As part of IMG's long term relationship with World Snooker, it is our strategy to expand the World Tour into the Asia Pacific region.

“We are delighted that our first new snooker event will be staged in Bendigo, Victoria supported by the Victorian Government. Victoria has an enviable reputation for staging World Class sporting events and it is therefore fitting that they will host the first World Snooker event in Australia.

“IMG will act as the promoter of the event and IMG Media will produce and distribute the world-wide television coverage to a global audience. Our long term vision is to continue to develop the sport of Snooker and Asia Pacific will be a very important focus of our efforts moving forward,” Mr Jolly said.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn is delighted that a world ranking event will be staged in Australia for the next three years.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be going to Australia for a world ranking event for the first time. Snooker is going global like never before as we also have new events in Thailand and Brazil within the next few months, plus many more in the pipeline.

“Australia has a fantastic tradition of producing world class sportsmen and it was great for snooker to see Neil Robertson become the first Aussie to win the World Championship last year. I know the fans Down Under have a great passion for sport and I expect them to support this event. It’s a great chance for them to see Neil as well as all of the other best players close up,” he said.

Neil Robertson, 2010 World Champion and currently ranked No 5, said: “This is a long-standing dream come true for me, as I am sure it is for many snooker players and fans in Australia. To have a world ranking event in my home state will be just unbelievable and I hope to get a lot of support.

“I know some of the other players are excited about coming to Australia and I’m looking forward to showing them around. It’s fantastic to see snooker becoming much more of a global game – it looks like we’ll be clocking up a lot of air miles in the next few years!”

32 of the world’s best players will descend on Bendigo for the Australian Goldfields Open and many of snooker’s top stars are looking forward to the tournament.

World Champion John Higgins said: “It’s great news that we are going to Australia. I won my first tournament, the Australian Masters, over there when I was 18, and I’ve not been back since. I’m delighted to have the chance to return for the tournament.

“When Barry Hearn got involved in snooker, we all thought it would take a few years for him to expand the game globally, but he’s already done so much within 18 months.

“I’ll be playing in the World Cup in Thailand and going straight from there to Australia so it’s going to be a brilliant time.”

Players Tour Champion and World No 7 Shaun Murphy added: "I'm very excited about going to Australia for the first time and to play in this new tournament. I've supported the Tour 100 per cent over the past year and I'm delighted to see our sport moving into new territories. Australia has a fantastic sporting tradition and I hope we can assist the growth of snooker there by putting on a top class tournament for the fans. I'd love to see this become a permanent fixture on the calendar."

Barrie Jones, President of the Australian Billiards and Snooker Council Snooker Australia welcomes the addition of the WSL Ranking Tournament and is pleased to be able to provide two wild card entries for this fantastic event.
“We see that there are many opportunities to be realised from the addition of such a prestigious event being added to the Australian calendar, especially in juniors. The television exposure made available to all Australians will surely renew interest in our sport and we look forward to the challenges in all facets of our sport,” said Mr Jones.
The Australian Goldfields Open will be broadcast live on FOX SPORTS.

FOX SPORTS has provided coverage of several leading snooker events including Grand Prix Snooker, Premier League Snooker, Snooker Masters and the UK Championship.
Australia’s leading sports broadcaster also provided live coverage of the 2010 World Snooker Championship final which was won by Robertson.


Pic: Greg Hooton, Neil Robertson, Ms Louise Asher, Mayor Rod Fyffe (City of Greater Bendigo)

2011 Belgrad 10 Ball Open

Romanian player Ioan Ladany won Belgrad 10 Ball Open, defeating top player Sandor Tot in the final 8-5 at the Billiard Club “ Cue Ball” – Belgrade, 19 Majke Jevrosime Str.
 
1st place - IOAN LADANY - Romania
2nd place - SANDOR TOT - Serbia
3rd place - IVICA PUTNIK - Croatia
3rd place - MILINKO VUKAJLOVIC - Serbia


Photo: (From Left to Right) Sandor Tot (SRB), Ioan Ladany (ROM), Ivica Putnik (CRO).

PINOY BETS MAZON, SALAZAR MAKES IT TO CHINA OPEN POOL MAIN DRAW
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

REIGNING Guinness World Series Champion Jundel "Jano" Mazon is headed to the main draw of China Open to be held on June 6 to 12 at the Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium in Shanghai, China.

So is up-and-coming John Salazar, who earlier pulled off another impressive win.

The two Pinoys, playing under the banner of sportsman/businessman Jonathan "Bacolod" Sy of the star-studded Negros Billiards Stable (NBS), continued their winning ways, hurdling separate opponents in the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) qualification tournament, hosted by long-time billiards patron Sebastian "Baste" Chua at the famous Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City, over the weekend.

Mazon, defeated RJ Bautista, 11-5, in the semis then toppled Cedric Gonzales, 11-2, in the finals to dominates the BSCP Qualification Tournament 2.

Salazar, meantime bested 2008 Reno WPA World Juniors silver medallist Jericho Banares, 9-6, and 2007 Manila WPA World 9-ball finalist Roberto Gomez, 9-5, to topped the BSCP Qualification Tournament 1.

Other cue masters seeing in action were 2011 Manila WPA World Ten Ball semi-finalist Carlo Biado, 2011 Bacolod POC-PSC 9-ball national games gold medallist Jeffrey de Luna, SEA Games gold medallist Warren Kiamco, Jech-Jech Limen, Joven Bustamante and 2010 Reno WPA World Juniors fifth placer Jonas Magpantay, among others.

The event is supervised by BSCP executive vice-president Edgar Acaba and Sol Gueco under the leadership of BSCP president Sebastian "Baste" Chua and BSCP chairman Florentino "Yen" Makabenta.

MARLON MANALO EYES ON QATAR WORLD 9-BALL CROWN
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

VETERAN campaigner Marlon Manalo has all the opportunities to be the world’s best. But for now, he is determined to follow the foot-step of Filipino World Champions in the likes of Efren "Bata" Reyes (WPA World 9-ball and 8-ball champion), Ronato "Volcano" Alcano (WPA World 9-ball and 8-ball champion), Francisco "Django" Bustamante (WPA World 9-ball champion), Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan (WPA World 9-ball champion), Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo (WPA World 8-ball champion) and Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit (WPA Women's World 10-ball champion).

The upcoming 2011 World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World 9-Ball Championships on June 25 to July 2 in Qatar will gauge the 33-year-old’s skills as he competes against the Philippines aces and the world-class pool players led by defending champion Bustamante.

At this point, the Barangay Malamig Chairman from Mandaluyong City's quest for honor and glory received the needed shot in the arm from his long-time benefactors mayor Benhur Abalos, rep. Boyet Gonzales and Solar Sports head Ronald Tieng.


"Many billiards aficionados today consider him as one of the top pool player in the country. Marami na siyang napanalunan sa abroad at nagbigay ng karangalan sa bayan.
Sa Qatar maipapakita niya (Marlon Manalo) muli ang husay ng mga Pinoy tumbok king kaya all out ang support ng pamilya namin sa kanya," said Police Supt. Maristelo Manalo, elder brother of Marlon.

"Magandang pagkakataon ang World 9-ball tournament sa Qatar para sa akin. Pinaghandaan ko ito," said Manalo who is also known in pool circuit as "Marvelous."

"Huwag lang tayong malasin gaya ng nangyari sa World Pool Championship sa UAE at Kaoshiung ." added the Jose Rizal University (JRU) AB Economics graduate.

Manalo nearly won his first world title at the 2004 WPA World Eight-ball Championship in Fujairah (UAE), but lost to his compatriot, Reyes.

Nicknamed "Marvelous", the unassuming Manalo was definitely the surprise package of the 2004 WPC (World 9-ball) as he beat Asian Superstar Yang Ching-shun, Bustamante and Reyes in successive matches before losing in the last eight to Swedish Marcus Chamat.

In 2005, Manalo was yielded to eventual champion local bet Wu Chia-ching in the semi-final round of WPC (World 9-ball).

"Ibubuhos ko ang lahat sa Qatar," said Manalo, who settled for a silver medal in the snooker event, placing second to Bjorn Haneveer of Belgium in the 2001 Akita, Japan World Games.


"Hindi lang mga Europeans, Americans at Taiwanese ang magbibigay ng magandang laban dito. Pati na rin mga kababayan natin gaya nina Idol Efren ("Bata" Reyes), Django (Francisco Bustamante), Alex (Pagulayan), Dennis (Orcollo), Ronnie (Alcano), Jeff (de luna), Carlo (Biado), Roberto (Gomez) at Ga-Ga (Antonio Gabica)." said Manalo, who honed his skills at his own billiards hall in Talumpung, Mandaluyong and famous Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City, hosted by long-time sports patron Sebastian "Baste" Chua.

"The Filipino contingent always provides a good show. Both for entertainment and for a show of pure skill and talent in the game," added US based Ramon "Maestro Monching" Mistica, who beat Filipino legendary Jose "Amang" Parica in the mid 80's.

Before the tournament proper, the young Manalo is busy doing a lot of projects in his constituents in Barangay Malamig, Mandaluyong City coincide the celebration of the feast of San Antonio de Padua from June 7 to 13. Hosting and organizing a singing and dance contest (June 7), Impersonator and Mr. Gay Barako (June 8 ), Little Ms. Barangay Malamig (June 9), Ms. Barangay Malamig and Job Fair (June 10), Sayawan sa Barangay and Live Band (June 11), Palaro-every street and San Antonio de Padua mass (June 12) and procession of San Antonio de Padua (June 13). For complete details, please call at tel.no. (02) 533-1319 or visit Barangay Malamig and please look for Lando Ganzon and Jerome Destacamento.

EXCITING NEW MEDIA COVERAGE FROM THE WPA FOR THIS WEEK'S CHINA OPEN

The World Pool and Billiard Association(WPA) is proud to announce new and enhanced media coverage when the China Open kicks off this week in Shanghai.

68 men and 48 women will be coming from all corners of the globe to test their skills in an exciting 9-ball format and vie for one of the sport’s biggest prize funds; $162,800 for the men, and $112,800 for the women. To properly cover this prestigious event, the WPA will offer fans around the world its most comprehensive tournament coverage yet, through the organization’s redesigned website, www.wpa-pool.com.

A new feature which already had fans talking during the recently concluded World 10-Ball Championship in Manila this past May is the live scoring platform. Fans around the world can follow each match as it happens from directly inside the Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium. The live scoring link is easily seen on the WPA home page and offers fans up to the minute scores from each table as the matches happen.

In addition to the live scoring, pool journalist and commentator Ted Lerner will be on hand in Shanghai providing complete coverage of the tournament, writing several articles each day posted right on the front page of the WPA website.

This new and improved coverage from the WPA will allow pool fans around the globe to keep up to date with all the action and get the complete story of this great event in real time. It is also designed to give the pool stars competing in the event the proper publicity platform that they so surely deserve. In future tournaments the WPA will be adding new and more exciting features all designed to better allow pool fans to follow each tournament, and enhance the profile of the great sport of pool worldwide.

The China Open kicks off with a three day qualifier from June 6-8. The tournament proper runs from June 9-12. For more information regarding the China Open please visit the WPA website at www.wpa-pool.com.

New Events Excite Title-Hungry Selby

Mark Selby is looking forward to a globe-trotting start to the snooker season, and hoping to add some new silverware to his collection.

The 2010/11 season starts later this month with the first Players Tour Championship event, then it's wall-to-wall snooker in July with the Wuxi Classic in China followed by the PTT-EGAT Snooker World Cup in Thailand then the Australian Goldfields Open.

"Last season I got to two ranking finals but didn't win either of them which was disappointing. I was happy with the consistency I showed over the season, but now it's all about winning more titles," said the two-time Masters champion.

The new World Cup runs from July 11-17 at the World Trade Centre in Bangkok. It will feature 20 two-man teams, with selection based on positions in the rankings, which means that World No 3 Selby will partner World No 6 Ali Carter in the England team.

"Most of the big sports have a World Cup event and it's great for snooker to have different tournaments with different formats," said the 27-year-old from Leicester. "It will be a different kind of pressure to an individual event because you're playing for your partner as well. I've played in tournaments in Thailand before and I've no doubt this one will create a really good atmosphere."

From Thailand, Selby will fly on to Bendigo, near Melbourne, for the first ever ranking event in Australia, which runs from July 18 to 24.

"I didn't think we'd be going to Australia in the near future," he said. "It shows the extent to which Barry Hearn has turned the sport around. There are more tournaments now and prize money has virtually doubled.

"I've never been to Australia before and I'm not sure how much of it I'll get to see, as I'll be there to work and hopefully do well in the tournament. I'm just pleased that we are moving the game into new territories.

"Last season I played over 100 matches, and looking at the calendar, I could play even more this time. Depending on how I do in the main ranking events, I may miss the odd PTC event just to make sure I am not burned out for the big events."

Selby has just come back from a two-week holiday in Mexico, where he married girlfriend Vikki, but is already preparing to pack his bags again.

"I've only just got married and now I'm going to be away for a few weeks in July, but I don't think Vikki will be getting the divorce papers out yet!" joked Selby "She understands what I've got to do for my career. It's going to be a busy season and there will be a lot of travelling, but it's great for the game and wherever I have to go to play in tournaments, I'll go there."

Tickets for the Australian Goldfields Open are now on sale. For details see www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Trump - Pressure Doesn't Bother Me

New snooker sensation Judd Trump is not concerned by the added expectation he will face this season, and is determined to pick up where he left off at the end of the last campaign.

The gifted 21-year-old burst into the limelight in the Spring by winning the Bank of Beijing China Open and getting to the final of the Betfred.com World Championship. Hundreds of millions of viewers around the world and an enthralled audience at the Crucible admired his audacious potting as he ran John Higgins close in the final before losing 18-15.

"There will be a lot more expectation on me this season," admitted Trump, whose success shot him up the rankings to No 9 in the world. "Even after I'd won in China, I was still considered an under-dog at Sheffield. But now everyone has seen how I can play, and it's up to me to go out and keep playing like that in the new season.

"I won't feel any more pressure because I'm excited about being in the top 16 and being able to go and play at all the big venues. There was more pressure in the qualifiers because everyone was trying so hard to get through them."
However, Trump admits that he may need to temper the all-out-attack style of play he favoured at the Crucible.

"If I'm feeling confident then I will keep going for my shots," said the left-hander. "At Sheffield I felt good for the whole fortnight so I kept going for the long balls. But this season if I lose one or two first round games then I might have to change the way I play. I've got to be more consistent and not give silly frames away, especially in the short matches. I'm in the top 16 now so I have to be prepared to battle though matches."

The season starts on June 20 with the first Players Tour Championship event, then Trump will be heading to the other side of the world in July for the first main ranking event, the Australian Goldfields Open.

"After Sheffield I took a few weeks off and spent time in Bristol seeing my friends and family," he said. "But now I'm back at the club in Romford and practising. I'll be treating the first PTC event as a warm up but I will be ready for Australia.

"It's the first event we've had in Australia so it will be new to everyone. No one will know what to expect but it's great for snooker to become more of a global game. If Neil Robertson hadn't won the World title last year we'd never have been going there. It's up to us now to help make snooker more popular there and I'm looking forward to showing the fans what I can do.

"Two years ago we only had six or seven tournaments a year. It's unbelievable how many events there are now and the busier we can be the better."

Tickets for the Australian Goldfields Open are now on sale. For details see www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Trump will also be competing in the 2011 PartyCasino.com Premier League. Details of fixtures and venues are available on www.worldsnooker.com

Eight-ball pool stars will light up Blackpool

The world’s finest eight ball pool players arrive in Blackpool next weekend (June 25) for the opening rounds of the Barcelo Hotels & Resorts World Eight Ball Pool Federation world championships, organised by the English Pool Association.

Almost1000 competitors are expected, including a strong contingent from Australia, which will challenge for honours in a variety of events including the men’s and women’s individual and team championships.

There is £22,000 up for grabs in the men’s individual tournament, with £8000 going to the winner and Mick Hill defending. Last year’s leading lady, Sue Thompson (pictured) will be out to win again with £4000 on the table and the winner picking up £1600.

In the battle for the top ladies team, Wales are tipped to retain their title and Australia is expected to push England all the way in the men’s team event.

The Barcelo Imperial Hotel will again host the world championships, which will include players in wheelchairs, over 50, juniors and under 21s.

Organiser George Harwood is anticipating an exciting ten-day festival of English pool action. “Our world championships grow more competitive each year and now attracts players from around the world.

“As we return to Blackpool for the 12th time, twelve countries will be competing and they include the world’s top 64 ladies and all the front line contenders in the men’s game.”

The EPA has again attracted the support of the game’s leading pool industry suppliers including billiard cloth manufacturer Milliken/Strachan and Supreme table-maker Heywood. Both companies are long-term supporters of the IPA and the WEPF and have backed the world championships since they first started 19 years ago.

Germany wins European Junior Team Cup 2011 in Budapest

Team Germany I defeated Team Slovakia with 3:0 in the final match Monday, June 20, 2011: After a very convincing and high-class performance, Team Germany I won the European Junior Team Cup with a clear 3:0 victory over Team Slovakia in the final match. The European Junior Team Cup was hosted in the Miami Billiard Club in Budapest, Hungary, this year and 10 teams from 5 different nations competed for the title.

The 10 teams were split into two groups of five; in the groups, a round robin format was played. The two best teams from each group made it to the semi-finals. Favourite was team Germany I with European Champion M. Ederer, J. Feller and T. Georgen. Team Hungary I with the two European Champions B. Varga and B. Deák belonged also to the favourite circle just like team Poland, who was the defending champions from last year.

As in every tournament, some players perform to their expectations while others create surprises – positive or negative. One of the biggest positive surprises was team Slovakia, consisting of J. Koniar, R. Latyka, L. Kovać and B. Koles. Before the event, nobody would have expected them in the finals against Germany I but they have shown excellent play throughout the whole tournament. Just like team Germany I, they have won all their group matches and advanced into the semi-finals undefeated.
The semi-finals saw the termination of all Polish hopes. Team Poland I lost to Germany I with 2:1 while team Poland II lost to Slovakia with the same result.

“It was a very good event. We saw lots of fantastic matches. I hope that our player will play perfectly in the WC Juniors and the EPBF will be proud of them.” Said tournament director Marcin Krzeminski. “I would like to say a big thank you to the referees Gabriella Varga and Péter Igaz and the owners of the Miami Billiard Club” stated Krzeminski during the closing ceremony.

Final standings:
1. Germany I
2. Slovakia
3. Poland II
4. Poland I
5. Hungary I
6. Hungary II
7. Germany Girls
8. Germany Niederrhein
9. Czech Republic
10. Hungary III

The European Junior Team Cup was hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF). For further information and reference please go to the event website www.eurotouronline.eu or contact our press office.


The winners: Team Slovakia (left), Team Germany I (center) and Team Poland 2 (right)

Follow the WPA and the World 9 Ball Championship on Twitter!

Get instant updates from the World 9-Ball Championship, which begins this week in Diha, Qatar.

Pool fans around the world now have another great resource to keep up to date with all the happenings from the World 9-ball Championship which begins June 21st in Doha, Qatar.

The World Pool Association is now on Twitter. Our Twitter user name is @poolwpa. You can go directly to our Twitter page at, www.twitter.com/poolwpa.

The WPA will be providing complete online coverage from the World 9-Ball Championships. The event begins June 21st with a three day qualifier which will offer 12 open spots. The tournament proper begins June 25th and runs through July 1. 128 of the world’s best men pool players from 44 countries will be on hand at Doha’s Al Sadd Sports Club to contest one of the sport’s most prestigious prizes.

Our Twitter account is the latest enhancement of our coverage of big WPA events. The WPA will be offering live scoring throughout the event. Fans who want to know what’s happening in each match can go to our new and improved website, www.wpa-pool.com, and click the “Live Scoring” banner. There you will see the current matches in progress and the up to date score line. You can also see the brackets by clicking on the “Brackets” button on our home page.

In addition, well known pool journalist and TV commentator Ted Lerner will be on hand in Doha to cover all the exciting action, writing several articles each day for the WPA website with complete analysis and his unique insights. Lerner will also be manning the Twitter account so fans will get plenty of instant insights, immediate updates and important news from right inside of the Al Sadd Sports Club.

So don’t forget. Tell your pool friends around the world to follow the WPA on Twitter via our username @poolwpa

The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is the international governing body for pocket billiards. The WPA is also one of the three member organizations of the World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS), representing the billiard disciplines of pool, snooker and carom. The WCBS is the international umbrella organization that is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

O'Sullivan Back In Winner's Circle


Ronnie O'Sullivan won a tournament carrying ranking points for the first time in 21 months by beating Joe Perry 4-0 in the final of the season's first Players Tour Championship event.

It's the perfect start to the season for 35-year-old O'Sullivan, who slipped to 11th place in the world rankings last term, with question marks hanging over his form and desire to keep playing at the top level.

His last full ranking title was the 2009 Roewe Shanghai Masters and this is the first time he has won a PTC tournament. He collects £10,000 and 2,000 ranking points and goes straight to the top of the PTC Order of Merit.

In the final he fired in breaks of 60, 105 and 117 to win in just 51 minutes.

O'Sullivan won seven matches over the past three days at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, conceding just nine frames in the process. He almost made a maximum 147 in his semi-final against Joe Jogia, but missed the final yellow on 120.

Cambridgeshire's World No 27 Perry earlier beat Graeme Dott in the semis.

The tournament produced a host of shock results, with the likes of John Higgins, Judd Trump, Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams and Stephen Hendry all losing in the first round, while amateurs Eden Sharav and Robbie Williams got to the last 16.

The next PTC event runs from August 6-10 at the South West Academy in Gloucester. The top 24 after the 12 short events qualify for the Grand Finals next March - providing they play in at least three events in the UK and three in Europe.

Next on the World Snooker Tour it's the Australian Goldfields Open qualifiers, which start next Monday.

POOL'S PANTHEON AWAITS

IT'S ALL SYSTEMS GO IN SEARING DOHA, QATAR AS THE 20TH WPA WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS SATURDAY

Story and Photo by Ted Lerner

(Doha, Qatar)--Day time temperatures reach over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, (44 Celsius) here in Doha, Qatar but with a bevy of the world’s best pool players on hand to contest the sport’s most prestigious title, the action this week inside the glittering Al Sadd Sports club promises to make the searing outside air seem downright chilly.

128 of the finest pool talents from 44 countries have arrived and settled in here in one of the Middle East’s most progressive countries, all ready for what are sure to be brutally intense and highly dramatic battles ahead, as the World Pool Association World 9-ball Championship gets set to begin Saturday at 12 noon(GMT +3). The tournament will run daily through July 1.

This will be the second year in a row that the World 9-ball championship has been held in Qatar.. The country is pegged to host the World 9-ball champion through 2014. The prize fund this year is $250,000 with $36,000 going to the winner.

Although the atmosphere tonight for the players meeting and tournament draw inside the Diamond ballroom of the Holiday Villa hotel was convivial and light, one easily sensed the nervous anticipation from the gathered throng of great cue artists. And for good reason. The World 9-ball Championship is widely considered pool’s most prestigious title. It is the longest running event in the 21 year history of the WPA. Winning the World 9-ball Championship assures any player of a spot in the pantheon of the greats of the sport.

Just ask Defending champion Franciso “Django” Bustamante of the Philippines. Up until winning the 9-ball crown last year in Doha, Bustamante had carved out one of the greatest careers the sport of pool has ever seen. But he had never won a world championship. When he pocketed the 9-ball on the break in the 20th rack in the finals against Taiwan’s Kuo Po Cheng, the Filipino star cemented his legacy as one of pool’s all time greats.

Bustamante is well aware, though, that back to back world titles are a rarity in pool. In fact, since the USA’s Earl Strickland won the 1990 and 1991 world championships, no player has managed to repeat this feat. And one glance at the awesome talent gathered tonight in Doha is all one needs to understand why. Along with Busti, eight other former World 9-ball champions have staked a spot in this year’s event. They include; Oliver Ortmann(1995), Ralf Souquet(1996), Efren Reyes(1999), Mika Immonen(2001) Thorsten Hohmann(2003), Wu Chia Ching(2005), Ronnie Alcano(2006), and Daryl Peach(2007). (see photo above)

The field this year is stacked with plenty of other world champions and great players from around the globe as well. These include former World 10 ball champion and current US Open champion Darren Appleton of the UK, current World Ten Ball Champion Huidji See of the Netherlands, current World 8-ball champion Dennis Orcullo of the Philippines, former World 8-ball champion Karl Boyes of the UK, perennial contender Kuo Po Cheng of Chinese-Taipei, recent Beijing Open winner Chang Jun Lin, Canada’s rising star Jason Klatt, the Philippines hot young star Carlo Biado, recent China Open winner Chris Melling of the UK, China’s Fu Jan Bo, Japan’s Yukio Akakagariyama, the Netherlands Neils Feijen and Nick Vandenberg.

And while fans around the world tend to go with bets on known quantities, part of the fun of the World 9-ball championship is that each and every year produces plenty of surprise results and newcomers who take the pool world by storm. Who will it be this year? The next few days will reveal the answers.

The tournament begins with players separated into 16 groups of 8, playing a double elimination format, race to 9, alternate Beak. 4 qualifiers (2 from winner’s brackets and 2 from loser’s brackets) will advance into the final round of 64 players which is single elimination, race to 11, alternate Break. The final will be a race to 13, alternate break.

This year players will be competing on notoriously difficult Diamond pool tables. The American company recently signed on as one of the tournament’s official sponsors.

The WPA will be providing complete coverage of all the action from inside the Al Sadd Sports club throughout the tournament. Fans around the world can follow matches as they happen via our live scoring platform. The live scoring button can be seen on the front page of the WPA’s new and improved website, www.wpa-pool.com . There you can also see the brackets icon which will give you updated standings from each group and the knockout stage.

Fans can also get instant updates, insights and scores by following the WPA on Twitter. Our Twitter user name is @poolwpa. You can go directly to our Twitter page at, www.twitter.com/poolwpa.

In addition, the WPA will be providing insights and analysis with articles posted several times daily on the WPA home page.

The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is the international governing body for pocket billiards. The WPA is also one of the three member organizations of the World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS), representing the billiard disciplines of pool, snooker and carom. The WCBS is the international umbrella organization that is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

REYES WILL TRY TO BE THE FIRST FILIPINO TO WIN A TRIPLE CROWN IN BILLIARDS
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

FILIPINO pool wizards Efren "Bata" Reyes will try to become the first Filipino to win a triple crown in billiards when he competes in the 2011 World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World 9-Ball Championship at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar on Friday.

Reyes, acknowledged one of the greatest player of all time and plays for the Puyat Sports of sportsman/businessman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat battles Mark Gray of Great Britain in Group 1.

He has won the World 9-Ball Championship and World 8-Ball title in 1999 and 2004, respectively. Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, the reigning World 8-Ball titlist will square off with Andrew Kong of Hongkong also in Group 1.

Francisco "Django" Bustamante, also from Puyat Sports opened his title retention bid against countryman Caneda Villamor in Group 4.

Bustamante, who was elected to the Billiards Congress of America Hall of Fame after a convincing 13-7 triumph over Chinese-Taipei’s Kuo Po Cheng in the last year' edition.

2011 World Ten Ball semi-finalists Carlo "Cool" Biado from Perry Mariano's Bugsy Promotions will meet Petri Makkonen of Finland in Group 4.

Antonio "Ga-Ga" Gabica, the 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball gold medal winner and 8-ball silver medallist, on the other hand will meet 2011 China Open Champion Chris Melling of Great Britain in Group 2.

A total of 128 players coming from 44 countries participate in the $250,000 total pot prize tournament offering a $36,000 top purse. The format divided into 16 group, each group compose of eight players with four players advancing to the knock-out stage.

In other marquee Filipino match-ups, Roberto Gomez versus Manuel Gama in Group 5, Oliver Medenilla versus Mohammad Al Harthi of Kingdom of Saudia Arabia in Group 7, Jeffrey de Luna versus Hussain Jamil Abdulwahed of Qatar in Group 8, Venancio Tanio versus Chang Jung lin of Chinese-Taipei in Group 9, Francisco Olita versus Karl Boyes of Great Britain in Group 9, Joven Alba versus Shane Van Boeing of the United States in Group 10, Israel Rota versus Chang Yu lun of Chinese-Taipei in Group 11, Allan Cuartero versus Mohamad Al Sofi of Syria in Group 12, Lee Vann Corteza versus Rajn Hundal of Great Britain in Group 12, Ronnie Alcano versus Hamzah Al Saeed of UAE in Group 13, Raymond Faraon versus Radoslaw Babica of Poland in Group 13, and Antonio Lining versus Liu Cheng Cheih of Chinese-Taipei in Group 16.

THE WOW FACTOR IN DOHA

13 TABLES SEE ACTION AS PLAY BEGINS IN THE 20TH WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE SPECTACULAR AL SADD SPORTS CLUB

Story and Photos by Ted Lerner

(Doha, Qatar)--The World Pool Association 2011 World 9-Ball Championship kicked off at high noon here in Doha, Qatar(GMT +3) in what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting pool tournaments of the year.

128 of the greatest pool players in the world from 44 countries are competing for pool’s most prestigious title. $250,000 in prize money is on offer, with $36,000 going to the winner. The tournament will run daily through July 1.

The players have been divided into 16 groups of 8, playing a double elimination format, race to 9, alternate Beak. 4 qualifiers (2 from winner’s brackets and 2 from loser’s brackets) will advance into the final round of 64 players which is single elimination, race to 11, alternate Break. The final will be a race to 13, alternate break.

While the gathering of pool greats battling for a world title always brings massive excitement and drama, the atmosphere seemed to become extra charged up earlier today as players, officials and fans began arriving at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha just before the noon kickoff. That’s thanks to the eye-popping venue that has been setup here at the Al Sadd Sports Club.

The hall inside the shining Al Sadd is easily one of the most spectacular ever seen in the world of pool. Comparison’s could be made to London’s York Hall for the cozy and intimate atmosphere. But whereas York Hall can only accommodate one table, the hall inside the Al Sadd Sports Club provides the perfect space for the much larger needs of a world title.

The Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation has outdone itself in terms of the setup. At each table there’s an electronic scoreboard. The stands hold around 1500 people and every seat in the house offers a perfect view of the entire venue. Flags of every country represented in the tournament hang from the ceiling. On the opposite side of the stands is a balcony area for VIP’s which offer what looks to be the finest spot ever created to watch a pool tournament, with roomy, cushioned chairs and fresh towels and bottled water sitting on marble tables.

In addition to the beautiful setup, players could be heard giving their approval of the 13 Diamond tables set up throughout the hall. Diamond’s are notoriously tough tables, with extremely tight pockets. As China Open winner Chris Melling said when he entered the arena; “These tables make the pressure that much more tough on each shot. And that’s the way it should be.”

The first session of the day began with all players from groups 1 and 2 in action, plus the top of half of group 3. Three more sessions will be held today, at 2pm, 4pm and 7pm. The opening ceremony will be fit in something this evening.

The WPA will be providing complete coverage of all the action from inside the Al Sadd Sports club throughout the tournament. Fans around the world can follow matches as they happen via our live scoring platform. The live scoring button can be seen on the front page of the WPA’s new and improved website, www.wpa-pool.com . There you can also see the brackets icon which will give you updated standings from each group and the knockout stage.

Fans can also get instant updates, insights and scores by following the WPA on Twitter. Our Twitter user name is @poolwpa. You can go directly to our Twitter page at, www.twitter.com/poolwpa.

In addition, the WPA will be providing insights and analysis with articles posted several times daily on the WPA home page.

STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT

LEGENDS BUSTAMANTE AND REYES SURVIVE THRILLERS ON EXCITING DAY 1 AT THE WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN DOHA

Story and Photo by Ted Lerner

(Doha, Qatar)--When it comes to big names in the sport of pool, they don’t come much larger than Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante. And that’s why whenever the two Hall of Famers enter any arena around the world, they are usually met with opponents who are jacked to the gills looking for the big upset.

That’s what happened on day 1 at the 2011 World 9-ball Championship at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar as first Reyes and then Bustamante were featured on Table 1. With several hundred Filipino overseas workers cheering their every rack from the stands overlooking the beautifully outfitted arena, both players were taken to the limit with thrilling down-to-wire matches, and both escaped victorious by the narrowest of margins.

The legend Reyes was given the honor of being first up on center table where he faced the very capable Mark Gray of Great Britain in the first match of the group stages. Gray had admitted at breakfast earlier in the day that he was itching to play Reyes and make a statement to the rest of the field that he was in it to win it. And for the first half of the match he did just that, as the Brit went up 6-2. Reyes, though, clawed his way back and tied the match at 7-7, then went up up 8-7 with a break and run. Gray cleared off a poor safety by Reyes in rack 15 to bring the match to a 1 rack decider. Reyes, though, made a ball on the break then coolly ran the rack for the victory.

“I played OK,” Reyes said immediately afterward. “Two times I didn’t make a ball on the break.” Asked if he thought he could win his second World 9-ball title, Reyes said; “I don’t know. This is very difficult. Too many good players are here.”

While the Magician went off to sign autographs and pose for photos with his legion of admirers, the defending champion Bustamante came into the arena in what looked on paper like an easy tune up match against overseas Filipino Caneda Villamor. Villamor, who works in nearby Saudi Arabia, is one of many Filipino pool pros who have migrated to the Middle East to teach pool for a living.

The race to 9 alternate break match looked at first to be going to plan as Bustamante moved ahead 5-2. Villamor, though, was clearly riding a wave of motivation playing against his famous countryman, and stormed back to cut the lead to 6-5. The two went back and forth for the next 30 minutes in what became a nervy and entertaining battle. Bustamante was leading 8-7 with Villamor pressing him in a safety battle. Then, facing what looked to be a sure safety play, Bustamante pulled a rabbit out of the hat when he hit a full table kick on the 6 ball, which collided with the 9 and sent the winning ball into the side pocket for the victory. It appeared to be a lucky shot, but Bustamante said he saw the possibility and went for it.

“I tried to make that 9-ball,” an obviously relieved Bustamante said afterward. When asked if he was surprised at how good his unknown opponent played the Hall of Famer responded: “Hey don’t forget, he’s a Filipino. All Filipinos play good. I’m just happy to win because now there’s not too much pressure.”

Both Bustamante and Reyes move to the winners side of their group and need just one win to move into the knockout stage of 64. The 128 players have been divided into 16 groups of 8, playing a double elimination format, race to 9, alternate Beak. 4 qualifiers (2 from winner’s brackets and 2 from loser’s brackets) will advance into the final round of 64 players which is single elimination, race to 11, alternate Break. The final will be a race to 13, alternate break.

48 out of the 128 player field saw action over the first two sessions. There were several other thrilling matches over the course of the first two sessions today as well. Manuel Gama of Portugal took down the Philippines Roberto Gomez 9-8. The 31 year old Gama, who’s ranked 27 on the Euro Tour, showed plenty of heart and nerves of steel as he dueled with the experienced Gomez down the stretch. Gama won despite having scratched on the break in the deciding rack.

Gama’s teammate Henrique Correia nearly made it a big day for Portugal but lost by a thread to China’s Fu Jan Bo 9-8.

In another nail biter, recent China Open winner Chris Melling of England barely got by the Philippines Antonio Gabica, 9-8. Gabica, who’s been living in Doha for the past 8 months working as a coach for the Qatar National Team, fought back from a 7-5 deficit, to go up 8-7. With 2 balls down on the break, the Filipino looked all clear to the finish line when he missed a 3-9 combo. Melling, who’s been playing super confident for several months now, cleared to tie up the match, then won the final rack for the hard fought victory.

There will be two more sessions on Saturday. The organizers have planned a lavish opening ceremony just before the start of the evening’s matches.

The 2011 World 9-ball championship has $250,000 in prize money on offer, with $36,000 going to the winner. The tournament will run daily through July 1.

The WPA will be providing complete coverage of all the action from inside the Al Sadd Sports club throughout the tournament. Fans around the world can follow matches as they happen via our live scoring platform. The live scoring button can be seen on the front page of the WPA’s new and improved website, www.wpa-pool.com . There you can also see the brackets icon which will give you updated standings from each group and the knockout stage.

Fans can also get instant updates, insights and scores by following the WPA on Twitter. Our Twitter user name is @poolwpa. You can go directly to our Twitter page at, www.twitter.com/poolwpa.

In addition, the WPA will be providing insights and analysis with articles posted several times daily on the WPA home page.

Complete results from the first two sessions on day 1 of the World 9-ball championship are below;

Group A
Dennis Orcullo(PHL) 9—4 Andrew Kong(HKG)
Jalal Yousef(VEN) 9—4 Mohanna Obaidly(QAT)
Efren Reyes(PHL) 9—8 Mark Gray(GBR)
Konstantin Stepanov(RUS) 9—7Vilmos Foldes(HUN)

Group B
Fu Jan Bo(CHN) 9—8 Henrique Correia(POR)
Chris Orme( CAN ) 9—4 Ali Berjaoui Mohamad(LEB)
Chris Melling(GBR) 9—8 Antonio Gabica (PHL)
Lo Li Wen(JPN) 9—6 Majeed Al Zaab( KUW )

Group C
Roman Hybler (CZE) 9—5 Jason Klatt(CAN)
Muhamed Zulfikri (INA) 9—6 Han Hao Xiang(CHN)
Fu Che Wei(TPE) 9—5 Bashar Hussain(QAT)
Carlo Cabello(ESP) 9—4 Omarai Shaheeme(KUW)

Group D
Francisco Bustamante(PHL) 9—7 Canedo Villamor(PHL)
Carlo Biado(PHL) 9—5 Petri Makkonen(FIN)
Majide Alazme(KUW) 9—6 Jon Grimley(NZL)
Lee Gun Jai(KOR)9 – 6 Scott Higgins(GBR)

Group E
Kuo Po Cheng(TPE) 9—7 Murni, Ahmad Taufi(BRU)
Manuel Gama(POR) 9—8 Roberto Gomez(PHL)
Imran Majid(GBR) 9—4 Naeem Ali, Ahmed(JOR)
Meshel Turkey(QAT) 9—7 Christian Tuvi(URU)

Group F
Mika Immonen(FIN) 9—3 Hanni Al Howri(UAE)
Dang Jin-Hu(CHN) 9—3 David Alcaide(ESP)
Stephen Cohen(nothing) 9—Ko Ping Chung(TPE) 7
Hwang Yong(KOR) 9— 4 Martin Daigle(CAN)