The first tour stop on the British Wheelchair Pool Players Association's 2004-05 9 Ball Tour took place on the weekend of 13th-14th November 2004. The Leicester Wheelchair Open saw a high quality field of players from all over Britain converge on Rileys American Pool and Snooker club in Leicester, but it was the BWPPA's Chairman Roy Kimberley who went away with the winner's trophy, after beating Matthew Gleaves 9-5 in the final.
The tournament was played double-elimination on Saturday with the last 4 playing a straight knockout to the finish on the Sunday. Roy got the luck of the draw on the first day's play, with byes in the first two rounds meaning he only needed one win to qualify for the semi-finals on the second day. A tough game which resulted in a 9-8 victory over Scotsman Matt Duffy saw him go through undefeated. Matthew Gleaves, however, had more hard work to do, but scorelines of 9-7 and 9-6 over Craig Robbins and Mark McNeill respectively set up an encounter with fellow North East player and practice partner Jeff Branson, a game Matthew won 9-2 which took him into the second day's play.
Kimberley's semi-final was against Maurice Job, a very experienced cue sport all-rounder who until recently headed up the EWPPA, from which the BWPPA evolved when it merged with the BPPPA. It wasn't Job's day though, and Kimberley took a scrappy match 9-5. Gleaves's semi was against Matt Duffy - this was a very close fought match, but Gleaves managed to grind out a 9-7 victory to take him through to the final.
The final itself started off very one-sided, with Roy Kimberley taking a 4-0 lead over the lad from Darlington. Matthew fought back, but it was in vain against the superior cueing of his opponent. Matthew said after the match, "I am just sorry I did not make a bigger fight of it in the final but Roy is a real ambassador for the sport and in my opinion he is the highest bench mark of the wheelchair game. I'll get him next time!".
For those that didn't qualify, there was one last chance to make their entry fee back in the One Rack Shoot-Out. Londoner Nick Oliver dispatched Jeff Branson in the shoot-out and both respectively claimed 1st and 2nd consolation prizes.
The initial ranking list after this first event is available here. The tour moves on to Stafford for the next event on 22nd/23rd January 2005. The Stafford Wheelchair open will be held at the brand new Rileys club five minutes off the M6 in the picturesque county town. Enquiries about joining the Association and playing on the BWPPA 9 Ball Tour, please see the membership section or email info@bpppa.com.
