Triple crown for Kimberley

Current European 9 Ball Champion Roy Kimberley came this week to Riley's Stretford to further strengthen retain his British No.1 position on the British Wheelchair Tour and he did just that with a solid and constant performance over two days showing the true talent and skill of a champion indeed to win the American 8 ball British Championship, it was his 3^rd straight ranking event win.

Kimberley took apart a skilful field including victories over Matt Gleaves 5-3 and a tight tussle with Tony Southern, which he just edged 5-4, this took him into the semi final to meet old rival Danny Luton. The match was one sided for the first 30 minutes, as Luton raced into a 5–2 lead and looked unbeatable, but as always Kimberley dug in and pulled it back to 6-6, and then pinched a tense final frame to leave Luton shaking his head in disbelief. This guaranteed him a place in the final against Southern, who had battled hard through the one-loss side after his earlier loss to Kimberley.

This event was the third event of 6 in the 2007/08 season and Kimberley has won them all.

Southern had got the better of US 9-ball champion Karl Read in the early rounds before his loss to Kimberley, and then defeated Mark McNeil 5-4 in a very close match, McNeil had slipped down the rankings in recent events, but a strong performance here and at the last event means he is heading back up the rankings, in the semi finals Southern had a 7-2 win over no 3 ranked Gary Swift, who unfortunate was struggling with an injury.

In the final Kimberley started strongly as always, and opened up a 6-2 lead, but Southern never gave in and pulled the match back to 6-5 down, and had a great chance to run out in rack 12, but a poor positional shot off his last ball left him with a difficult double on the 8-ball, which he rattled in the jaws, and Kimberley did not need another invitation to clinch his victory.

The event was very competitive, although the tour is striving to recruit and expand, if you are reading this and you want to be involved on know someone who maybe interested, please see our website www.bwppa.org

Finally all the BWPPA players would like to wish Matt Duffy the tours 2nd ranked player a speedy recovery from his recent illness and we expect to see him back on tour very soon.

The British Wheelchair Pool Players Association is the largest wheelchair tour of the American pool disciplines in Europe.

Tony Southern BWPPA Press Officer

WWW.BWPPA.ORG

Photos from top:  Roy Kimberley

   Tony Southern and Roy Kimberley