To the best of our knowledge here at AZ Billiards, the Inaugural Nature's Recreational Center (NRC) 9-Ball Challenge, held on the weekend of October 1-2, in Tacoma, WA, was the first pool tournament ever sponsored by a medical marijuana facility. Stephen Holem won five on the loss side to meet, challenge and eventually double dip Marc Vidal to claim the event title. The $6,500-added ($5,000 by NRC) drew 75 entrants to Malarkey's Pool and Brew in Tacoma and was live-streamed throughout the weekend by Rail2Rail Productions.
With Holem, already at work on the loss side, the man who defeated him - Alain "Frenchy" Boutin - advanced to a winners' side semifinal versus Joe Spence. Vidal, in the meantime, squared off against B.J. Copeland in the other winners' side semifinal. Vidal downed Copeland 7-2, and in the hot seat match, faced Spence, who'd sent Boutin to the loss side 7-3. Vidal claimed the hot seat, and won what proved to be his last match, 7-2.
Over on the loss side, it was Copeland who drew the eventual event winner, Stephen Holem, who'd opened his loss-side campaign with victories over Stan Tourangeau 7-5 and Paul Potier 7-3. Boutin picked up Erik Vargas, who'd survived two straight double hill matches against Dexter Ambang and Dan Louie to reach him.
Boutin and Copeland picked up their second straight loss; Boutin falling to Vargas 7-3 and Copeland giving way to Holem 7-2. Holem chalked up the quarterfinal match against Vargas 7-4 and then downed Spence in the semifinals by the same score.
Holem took both sets of the double elimination final over Vidal 7-5 to claim the Inaugural NRC 9-Ball Challenge.
