Hibernation over from women's snooker

[snookerdad]

A FORECAST temperature of 10°C in Woking on Saturday has roused the women’s snooker circuit from its enforced winter hibernation.

World number one Maria Catalano will start as favourite in a 17-strong international field assembled at Woking Snooker Centre for the 2013 Connie Gough Memorial.

The defending champion from Dudley, West Midlands, will need to overcome the Far East threat of Hong Kong quartet Yu Ching Ching, Jaique Ip Wan In, So Man Yan and Ng On Yee to claim the title for a fifth time.

Also likely to be among the front runners are Tatjana Vasiljeva (Latvia) and Emma Bonney (Portsmouth).

Another name to look out for is 13-year-old Jasmine Bolsover, who will be hoping to take advantage of home tables.

Play commences at 10am. A Seniors (40+) tournament and a Plate competition, for those not making the quarter-finals of the main event, will also be held on the day.

The Connie Gough Memorial is the fourth and final ranking tournament before the World Championship.

Lack of entries forced the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association to cancel November’s East Anglian Championship and last month’s Southern Classic.

The previous tournaments were won by Catalano (UK Championship), Ng (Northern Championship) and Ip Wan In (Agnes Davies Memorial).

2013 Connie Gough Memorial
Saturday, March 2
Woking Snooker Centre
Kingfield Road
Woking
Surrey
GU22 9AA
Tel: 01483 762754

ENTRIES

Maria Catalano (Dudley, West Mids)
Tatjana Vasiljeva (Latvia)
Jenny Poulter (Maidstone, Kent)
Tina Owen-Sevilton (Bridgwater, Somerset)
Jasmine Bolsover (Woking)
Vicky Carter (Sandy, Bucks)
Yu Ching Ching (Hong Kong)
Martina Lumsden (Eastbourne)
Marianne Williams (Smallfield, Surrey)
Jaique Ip Wan In (Hong Kong)
So Man Yan (Hong Kong)
Gaye Jones (Melksham, Wilts)
Ng On Yee (Hong Kong)
Eva Palmius (Isleham, Cambs)
Emma Bonney (Portsmouth)
Michelle Marinova (Bracknell)
Chris Sharpe (Chelmsford)

Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach and WLBSA press officer)

[philip in china]

Has anybody provided any decent prize money this year?

[snookerdad]

Sadly not.

[robertmac]

It is sad.

I hope you post the results as I am interested and any
links of any videos of the games.

[snookerdad]

THREE days after spending her entire birthday engaged in her second favourite activity, Maria Catalano bagged her tenth snooker title on the women’s circuit.

The world number one defeated Portsmouth’s Emma Bonney 3-0 in the final at Woking Snooker Centre to take a fifth Connie Gough Memorial trophy home to Dudley, West Midlands.

Catalano, 31 last Wednesday, said: “This one always falls about three days after my birthday. It’s great to win it because it’s an extra birthday present.

“I could see Emma was playing well and I thought I’ve got to play well to win it.

“It was live on the internet and that put a little bit of pressure on us because we’re not really used to that.

“Emma didn’t play like she had done all day and I did what I needed to do.”

Catalano revealed her birthday outing involved a lengthy trip to the Bicester Village designer retail centre, near Oxford.

“I spent all day shopping because that’s my second favourite hobby,” she laughed.

Catalano had accounted for three of the four Hong Kong entrants en route to the final.

Leading 2-0 in the last-16, she admitted that Ng On Yee “didn’t really give me another shot” as breaks of 65 and 67 forced a decider.

But a run of 76 from a cross double secured a 3-2 victory.

After beating So Man Yan 3-0, Catalano fell 1-0 down to Jaique Ip Wan In and gave herself “a bit of a telling off” before prevailed 3-1.

Lack of entries had forced the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association to cancel the previous two tournaments.

So Catalano was delighted a 17-strong field enabled the Connie Gough to proceed.

“When I knew this one was going ahead, I was like a kid at Christmas,” she said. “I was so excited and I couldn’t wait to get here.

“I love the game. And even after playing for 15 years, it still absolutely fascinates me.”

Meanwhile, Ng did fly home with some silverware. She beat Tina Owen-Sevilton (Bridgwater, Somerset) 2-0 in the Plate final.

Jenny Poulter (Maidstone, Kent) edged Chris Sharpe (Chelmsford) 2-1 for the Seniors title.

This was the fourth and final ranking tournament before the World Championships.

The WLBSA thanked Woking Snooker Centre owner Bob Mason for hosting the event and Terry Teeman for streaming the final.

RESULTS (BREAKS)

PRELIM: Ng On Yee (32) beat Jenny Poulter 3-0.

LAST-16: Maria Catalano (76) beat Ng (65, 67) 3-2, So Man Yan beat Eva Palmius 3-0, Marianne Williams beat Gaye Jones 3-0, Jaique Ip Wan In beat Chris Sharpe 3-0, Tatjana Vasiljeva beat Tina Owen-Sevilton 3-1, Yu Ching Ching beat Vicky Carter 3-0, Martina Lumsden beat Michelle Marinova 3-1, Emma Bonney (31) beat Jasmine Bolsover 3-0.

QUARTER-FINALS: Catalano beat So 3-0, Ip Wan In (41) beat Williams 3-0, Yu beat Vasiljeva 3-1, Bonney beat Lumsden 3-0.

SEMI-FINALS (£60): Catalano beat Ip Wan In 3-1, Bonney beat Yu 3-0.

FINAL (£150/£110): Catalano (36, 39) beat Bonney 3-0.

PLATE

QUARTER-FINALS: Ng On Yee beat Chris Sharpe 2-0, Jenny Poulter beat Michelle Marinova 2-0, Tina Owen-Sevilton beat Jasmine Bolsover 2-1, Eva Palmius beat Vicky Carter (34) 2-1.

SEMI-FINALS: Ng beat Poulter 2-0, Owen-Sevilton beat Palmius 2-0.

FINAL (£30/£20): Ng beat Owen-Sevilton 2-0.

SENIORS

QUARTER-FINALS: Marianne Williams beat Gaye Jones 2-0, Jenny Poulter beat Martina Lumsden 2-1.

SEMI-FINALS: Poulter beat Eva Palmius 2-0, Chris Sharpe beat Williams 2-0.

FINAL: Poulter beat Sharpe 2-1.

ENTRIES

Maria Catalano (Dudley, West Mids)
Tatjana Vasiljeva (Latvia)
Jenny Poulter (Maidstone, Kent)
Tina Owen-Sevilton (Bridgwater, Somerset)
Jasmine Bolsover (Woking)
Vicky Carter (Sandy, Bucks)
Yu Ching Ching (Hong Kong)
Martina Lumsden (Eastbourne)
Marianne Williams (Smallfield, Surrey)
Jaique Ip Wan In (Hong Kong)
So Man Yan (Hong Kong)
Gaye Jones (Melksham, Wilts)
Ng On Yee (Hong Kong)
Eva Palmius (Isleham, Cambs)
Emma Bonney (Portsmouth)
Michelle Marinova (Bracknell)
Chris Sharpe (Chelmsford)

Tim Dunkley (WLBSA press office and World Snooker coach)

[robertmac]

I am glad to hear the event was held and congrats to Maria.

Are there any videos of the finals?

[snookerdad]

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tt-snooker-live

Tim

[philip in china]

Still no big breaks then.

[wyt147]

What big breaks are you looking for Philip. These are part time players not professionals. Are you looking for some century breaks or that all of the lady players knock in breaks over 40? Just curious.

[philip in china]

I think if we can get some women pros on the main circuit it will be a great thing for the sport. That isn't going to happen until we start to get women who can build big breaks. I think one way in which you can judge the skill level of a player is by his (or her) avaerage break, the number of centuries and 147s notched up in competition. It just isn't happening in women's snooker.

This point has been chewed over so many times I really don't want to get drawn on it again. See my PM in reply to yours.

[wyt147]

I agree with you Philip and have replied.