Site News
Topic: *Industry News* - January 2010

GREAT BRITISH POOL ASSOCIATION

Dear Women pool players

There is a tournament in Taipei between 3rd to 7th March with arrival 2nd March and departure on the 8th March.

Prize fund is USD 70 000 total, this is a WPA world ranking event and the EPBF have spots available. As the GBPA is the member, we can ask for 1 or more spots to the event.

Alison Fisher, Karen Corr, Kelly Fisher, Gerda and Jasmin from Austria are already announced to this event and you could join them.

If there are women players interested in going to this event then please contact me for more details.

davidmorris13@hotmail.com

Time frame is short I’m afraid and commitment must be given not later than 27th Jan if you are attending.

Regards
David Morris

BRITISH ASIAN SPORTS AWARDS

Totesport.com Named Sponsor for Snooker’s Welsh Open

World Snooker is delighted to announce Totesport.com as the new title sponsor of the 2010 Welsh Open, which takes place at the Newport Centre, 25th-31st January.

The Welsh Open, a ranking event since 1992, attracts the greatest players in the World. Former Welsh Open champions include Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and last year’s winner Ali Carter.

The new agreement will initially be for one year and the event will be known as the Totesport.com Welsh Open. The tournament will be broadcast on BBC Wales, Eurosport as well CCTV (China), Now TV (Hong Kong) and Showtime Arabia.

Barry Hearn, who took over as Chairman of World Snooker last month, said: “This is a further boost for snooker and it proves we are definitely moving in the right direction for our sport. Having Totesport.com, one of the biggest betting brands in the World, sponsor the Welsh Open demonstrates the appeal of snooker. We’ve now got sponsors on board for four of our five UK tournaments and I’m sure that there are more to come. We look forward to working closely with the team at Totesport.com to make this tournament a great success.”

Trevor Beaumont, Chief Executive of Totesport comments: “We are delighted to again be associated with World Snooker after a break of 5 years. As one of the premier tournaments in the calendar the totesport.com Welsh Open is a great opportunity for us to remind our audience of customers that totesport.com is relevant for them across all major sports betting events.”

Ali Carter won the Welsh Open last year by beating Joe Swail 9-5 to claim his first ranking event title. The Captain will defend his title against the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Stephen Hendry, Ding Junhui and Ryan Day.

Tickets are on sale, for details call 01633 656 757 or visit www.worldsnooker.com

Stevens – I Need One Good Week

Snooker’s Welsh Dragon Matthew Stevens believes that one good week will be the difference between him regaining his place among snooker’s top 16 and spending another year outside the elite.

The Carmarthen ace is looking forward to next week’s Totesport.com Welsh Open in Newport and hopes to pick up valuable points in the world ranking tournament. Stevens dropped out of the top 16 three years ago and currently stands 20th on the provisional list.

“That’s the big goal for me this season, to get back into the top 16,” said the 32-year-old, who won the Masters in 2000 and the UK Championship in 2003. “I’m a fair bit behind at the moment, but all it takes is one good week. Look at Liang Wenbo – he got to the final in Shanghai and he jumped up from 27th to 13th. I just need one good run.

“I’ve won all of my qualifying matches so far this season, but in the last two tournaments I’ve played Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan in the first round at the venue. That shows how tough it is when you are outside the top 16 and why it’s important for me to get back there.”

Stevens has been spared a trip to Prestatyn this week as his qualifying match has been held over to the venue and will take place at the Newport Centre on Monday at 1pm.

“It is an advantage to be starting off at the venue, hopefully in front of a good crowd supporting me,” added Stevens. “I’ve never done well in the Welsh Open – I got to the quarter-finals once but otherwise I’ve done nothing. My practice has been going really well and I’m looking forward to next week so maybe this will be the one.”

Stevens, Mark Williams and Ryan Day will lead the home charge in the tournament which runs from January 25 to 31. Also battling for the title will be the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Stephen Hendry and defending champion Ali Carter.

Tickets are on sale, for details call 01633 656 757 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/welsh

VISITOR INVITATION

GBE has been successfully held three times. As good effect for last three years, it's thought highly by the exhibitors and visitors and got the reputation as the most famous billiard exhibition in Asia.

Therefore, GBE is taken for granted to become the best business platform for billiard, snooker,pool suppliers and buyers to find business partners and meet new or old friends.

GBE2010 will be held in China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex from March 30- April 1, 2010. Now 400 booths have been booked (the deadline is on Jan.20th,2010). The booths were 167 in GBE2009．The goal of GBE2010 is 500 booths. All the members of GBE2010 Organizing Committee will do our best to make it come true.     

So you will meet a lot of new suppliers on GBE2010. The new suppliers has booked booth such as　OLD WORLD,Sunrat,KANGHOM, Meijia, Chamberlain Billiards，Guanjin, Mingtai, Born Winner, Niushan, etc. The GBE2009 suppliers will see you again of course. Thanks for their support GBE all the time, including Brunswick, Xingpai,Yalin,Master cue, Wiraka, Fury(Kao Kao),K.F Cue, JYU BEN,Chaojie, Biaoli, J. G. P., Meilin,Centric,Waters Enterprises, etc.

Welcome all the billiards professionals to attend or visit GBE2010. Let’s celebrate the billiards industry feast together!

Download the invitation. 2010 GBE Visitor Invitation.doc

Selby – I Must Capitalise

Mark Selby admits that his feeling of elation at winning the Pokerstars.com Masters will quickly evaporate if he loses his opening match in the Totesport.com Welsh Open.

The Leicester Jester stunned World No 1 Ronnie O’Sullivan at Wembley last week by coming from 9-6 down to win the final 10-9, and he’s now determined to build on that success.

“If I lose in the first round in Wales, the Masters will suddenly seem a long way away,” said 26-year-old Selby, who faces Judd Trump in his opening match at the Newport Centre on Wednesday afternoon. “It was fantastic to win at Wembley, but it wasn’t a ranking event, so I’ve got to capitalise on my good form now and put some ranking points on the board. Last Sunday I didn’t celebrate much, I just had a couple of drinks. I had the day off on Monday then I was back on the practice table on Tuesday morning.

“The standard is so high now that you are bound to have a tough opening match. Look at Ding Junhui – he won the UK Championship and must have been full of confidence, then in the Masters he drew me in the first round. So I don’t want to be going to Wales cold.

“Winning the Masters has not really sunk in yet, even though I’ve got the trophy on my mantelpiece at home and I’m getting (girlfriend) Vicky to polish it every day! When I get to Wales and speak to some of the other players about the final, then it will sink in more.”

Selby won the Totesport.com Welsh Open two years ago, beating O’Sullivan 9-8 in the final, and hopes he can complete another amazing double. “I’d just won the Masters at the time, so hopefully that’s a good omen for me,” added the World No 7. “I’ve always enjoyed playing at the Newport Centre, going back to when we used to have the qualifiers there.”

The tournament starts tomorrow (Monday) with home favourite Matthew Stevens as well as Neil Robertson and Peter Ebdon in action in the first session. The likes of O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins and defending champion Ali Carter will all be on the baize over the next three days, with the final next Sunday.

Tickets can still be bought by calling 01633 656 757 or visiting the Newport Centre.

BATA REYES SETTLED SECOND IN DERBY CITY CLASSIC 9-BALL BANKS; POCKETS $5,000
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—FILIPINO pool maestro Efren “Bata” Reyes landed second place in the 12th Annual Derby City Classic 9-ball banks at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Indiana, United States on Tuesday.

Reyes, acknowledge one of the greatest pool players of all time lost to defending 9-ball banks champion hometown hero American John Brumback, 3-2, in their rematch in the finals.

Brumback took home $10,000 while Reyes settled for a nice $5,000. Another American Larry Nevel, finished 3rd for $3,000.

Reyes, the prize fighter of Puyat Sports, earlier beat American Shannon Daulton, compatriot Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan and Nevel to arrange a titular showdown with the undefeated Brumback.

Actually, Brumback earlier beat Reyes in round 11, who play nearly flawless, closing out the set 3-0 and only giving up four banks.

For only the second time ever, Reyes enters the finals of the bank pool championships for a chance at the title. His second place finish in 2007 against American Stevie Moore gave him his best finish.

Reyes and fellow Puyat Sports ace Francisco “Django” Bustamante, whose successful partnership earned them the World Cup last year in Manila and spearheaded Team Asia in the over-all championships in Brunei last week, have ruled several events for a number of times.

Since 1999, the 55-year-old Reyes won the 9-Ball event three times, One Pocket five times, and the all-around championship four times. Bustamante, a former world no.1, on the other hand, ruled the overall title in 2008.

The US tournament features three events – 9-Ball, One-Pocket, 9-Ball Banks – with the player dishing out the most impressive performance in all events being declared the All Around champion. The three events stake a total of $50,000 (P2.4 million) with the 9-ball dangling $25,000, One Pocket $15,000 and 9-ball banks $10,000.

"AMANG"PARICA TOPS SENIORS ONE-POCKET EVENT; INDUCTED IN HALL OF FAME
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

MANILA, PHILIPPINES---FILIPINO legend Jose "Amang" Parica turned back American Brown Sy to rule the 60-year-old above Seniors One-Pocket mini event of the 12th Annual Derby City Classic at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Indiana, United States on Tuesday.

It was a double victory for the 61-year-old West Covina, California based Parica, dubbed as the King and Legend of Philippine Billiards, acknowledge the leader of the Filipino invasion in the United States in the mid 80's after leading a stellar class of 2010 inductees yesterday to the One Pocket Hall of Fame, which include the late Rudolf “Fats” Wanderone in the Lifetime Pool in Action category and Glenn “Piggy Banks” Rogers in the Bank Pool division.

"Long overdue," said close friend Ramon "Maestro Monching"Mistica in an interview of this writer yesterday.

"Amang (Jose Parica), the Philippine Hall of Famer pioneered the Filipino invasion in the United States and brought the game of 9-ball to a higher level. He became the World Player of the Year in 1997. He was the first player to shoot a perfect game of 1,000 points, which was a World Record in 9-Ball race to 11 format. Amang was the only Filipino to win all major final titles against his Filipino counter part." recalled another confidante and former snooker champion Marlon "Marvelous"Manalo.

It shall be recalled that Parica’s rise to fame began when he won the World Open 9-Ball Child Cypress title in Lexington in the early ‘70s. One of the most feared 9-ball artists during his prime, Parica learned to play the game when he was seven years old, competing against older guys in his father's billiards hall in Blumentritt, Sta. Cruz, Manila.

In 1979, Parica became the national three-cushion, rotation and snooker champion. He also established the Philippine Pocket Billiards Association and became its first president.

In 1988, Parica dominated the Japanese circuit, winning eight of the nine tournaments he competed in. That same year, he won the World Pro Tournament, the biggest and richest tournament at that time, by beating compatriot Efren "Bata" Reyes in the finals, 9-3. The tournament was played in Tokyo where he beat around 900 players to win five million Yen.

A former Derby City One Pocket titlist, Parica achieved one of the most revered records in pool, and was the only player to win a perfect run out match of nine-ball under race-to-11 format without misses or fouls.

The Manila raise Parica who hails from Nueva Ecija has been a top player for 3+ decades. He travels and is an ambassador for pool all over the world.

World Team event moving ahead as planned

Press Release

The WPA wishes to assure all interested parties that the WPA World Team Championships in Hannover, Germany is proceeding as scheduled. The recent rumors of the cancellation of this event are without merit. The WPA looks forward to a great event and we look forward to joining the fans and players at the competition.

Jerry Forsyth
WPA Press Officer

GREAT BRITISH POOL ASSOCIATION

Dear pool players and fans,

Part of what the GBPA intends to do, is work to try and get pool tables into schools. We are an Olympic sport and our school children should be able to practice an Olympic sport within their school. Give children a hobby at school and they are more likely to continue that hobby after school and at weekends.

The GBPA are pleased to announce that we have secured a main sponsor for this project and from now on, Dynamic Billiard tables will be the official table supplier for the GBPA. We will endeavor to introduce as many schools to this project as we possibly can.

Dynamic Billard have agreed to supply to the GBPA, tables from its Eliminator range 7 ft which are ideal for schools as they also take up less room. We hope by supplying schools with tables, it will encourage pupils to try an Olympic sport and enable small competitions within the schools.

As you may know, Dynamic tables are sanctioned by the EPBF and are the main tables used on the Eurotour and at all European Championships, so it is great for our sport here that such a company with tables supplied to such events will help supply tables to our schools.

We will announce very soon on how your school or a school near you can participate in this project.

We would like to thank Dynamic Billard for its support of the GBPA and look forward to a bright future.

GBPA President
David Morris

Snooker firms welcome arrival of sports impresario Hearn
January 28, 2010.

The return of sports impresario Barry Hearn to lead snooker into the 21st century has been widely welcomed by Bristol-based World Snooker Services.

Formed in 1990 by Pete Godwin and Eugene James, World Snooker Services (WSS) is aiming to expand and increase turnover this year, spurred on by the financial impact Hearn has had on various other sports.

These include boxing, poker, American pool and the Mosconi Cup, ownership of League One football club Leyton Orient and chairmanship of the Professional Darts Council, which last year helped to boost Phil Taylor’s income to £5 million.

Godwin and his team are widely regarded as one of the best snooker table fitters in the world and this expertise has been recognised by China’s largest manufacturer of snooker tables, Beijing Xingwei Star, which awarded WSS its European distribution rights.

The past 12 months has taken Godwin to France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Malta, Ireland, Thailand and China – where interest in snooker is at an all-time high.

Employing nine people, World Snooker Services is contracted to install snooker tables at all world ranking tournaments and Matchroom Sport’s Premier League Snooker, which is owned by Barry Hearn.

“For this reason, we are looking forward to Barry bringing his entrepreneurial skills to the game and generating more competitions and income for the players,” said Godwin.

“In recent years many snooker tables have been replaced by pool tables, but this is levelling off now and, from our side, we have never been busier,” said Godwin, who had a big say in the development of the Star tournament table.

“This is far in advance of any other snooker table and you will see it appearing in clubs all over the UK and the big televised tournaments organised by the World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association.”

Hearn’s appointment has also been welcomed by Stroud-based Milliken, which manufactures billiard cloth for the snooker and pool markets worldwide.

European sales manager Stuart Gardiner (pictured) said: “Interest in Asia in particular is booming and exports to China and elsewhere have helped to offset some decline in demand in the UK.

“Barry Hearn has long-standing links with the game and proven business skills. We are looking forward to working with him to bring to snooker more high-quality events and the higher profile it deserves.”

Milliken and World Snooker Services have worked together for ten years. According to Godwin, Milliken’s Strachan brand, which is produced in Stroud, is ‘exceptional.’

“The nap is sharp and produces a very quick and responsive surface, which the players love. This has improved the standard of play here in the UK and overseas, where new players have come through to challenge the old guard,” he added.


Issued on behalf of Milliken and World Snooker Services Ltd, Bristol BS16 3HH

“BATA” REYES TOPS 10-BALL CHALLENGE; “DJANGO” BUSTAMANTE SETTLED THIRD IN ONE POCKET-EVENT
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

FILIPINO pool maestro Efren “Bata”Reyes avenged his Derby Bank Pool Finals loss via dominating the FatBoy 10-Ball Challenge in Indiana, United States yesterday.

The Angeles City pride Reyes, playing under the banner of Puyat Sports, stamped his class by going through the entire event undefeated. Reyes took $6,500 by winning against Virginia state champion Brandon Shuff of the USA, 15-8. Shuff took $3,250 for finishing 2nd place.

Reyes, dubbed as “The Magician” in pool arena quickly jumped an early 6-0 lead against Shuff who manage to close the match at 13-5 count in the 18th racks. However, Reyes never looked back enroute a 15-8 victory in the race-to-15, single elimination format.

On the road to the finals, Reyes eliminated fellow former world champion Johnny “Scorpion”Archer of the United States to arrange a titular showdown with Shuff, winner over countryman Shannon Murphy, 15-9.

Losing semi-finalists Archer and Murphy didn’t go empty-handed with a consolation prize worth $1,625 each.

In the Derby City Classic, One Pocket-division, former world no.1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante, another Puyat Sports bet, finish over-all third for $2,500.

Scott “The Freezer” Frost of the USA took the title plus top prize of $20,000 after beating Sylver Ochoa of Mexico in the finals. The Texas-based Ochoa received $6,000 for his effort.

Sharing the limelight is former world champion Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, also from Puyat Sports is doing good in a straight pool divisions. The Cabagan, Isabela native Pagulayan defeated ex-US Open titlist Corey “The Prince” Deuel of the USA, 100-23, to stay in title hunt.

Higgins Closes In On Top Ranking

John Higgins looks likely to be the official World No 1 next season following his victory in snooker’s totesport.com Welsh Open.

The Wizard of Wishaw beat Ali Carter 9-4 in the final in Newport tonight (Sunday) to win his first ranking title of the season and 21st of his career. Higgins now leads Ronnie O’Sullivan by 9505 points in the provisional list, and is in prime position to take over as official No 1 from the Rocket at the end of the season.

The 34-year-old Scot can guarantee the No 1 slot for 2010/11 by matching O’Sullivan’s performance at March’s China Open.

"China will be a big tournament because it could still be close, although Ronnie will probably have to win that to get back into the race," said Higgins. "It would be good to have it sewn up before Sheffield.”

Carter came within a match of defending the Welsh Open title he won last year; his only ranking title to date. He moves up one place in the latest list to fourth, just behind Neil Robertson.

Stephen Maguire climbs from seventh to fifth after losing to Carter in the semi-finals. O’Sullivan lost to Higgins in the other semi.

Mark Allen is the biggest mover among the losing quarter-finalists, climbing three spots to 12th. Mark Selby is up two to 11th while Mark Williams edges up one place to ninth and Ryan Day stays in eighth position.

Andrew Higginson, a Welsh Open finalist in 2007, enjoyed a fine run to the last 16 and jumps three places to 32nd.

Crowd favourite Tony Drago won four qualifying matches to reach the last 32, and leaps nine spots to 56th, while China’s Liu Song came through three rounds to qualify and also rises nine places to 80th.