This Press Release was issued today and it’s great news!
Year: 2018
The Return of Robidoux …
Having a Seniors event scheduled in Toronto has inspired Alain Robidoux to look up for his cue (Source WPBSA)
Robidoux on Cue for Seniors Return
6th June 2018
The World Seniors Snooker Tour qualifiers in Toronto will welcome another familiar face when it is played in December as Canadian legend and former world number nine Alain Robidoux is another legend who will once again dare to dream.
Robidoux was runner up to Ronnie O’Sullivan at the 1996 German Open and reached the semi-finals of the 1997 professional World Championship before losing to eventual champion Ken Doherty. He is a former Canadian snooker champion and played in the golden era of Cliff Thorburn, Bill Werbeniuk and Kirk Stevens.
Alain Robidoux said: “Where is my cue? Time to practice for the World Seniors Tour, a good reason to go back on the green baize! Excited again!”
The World Seniors Snooker Tour qualifiers are being staged at the Corner Bank Sports Bar and Grill in Toronto on 7-9 December 2018.
The event is open to any amateur player over 40 who is a member of their national federation. Enter now by clicking HERE.
Bonne chance Alain!
ICS Hong Kong Qualifier
The Seniors Tour goes to Australia!
This was announced today on Facebook
The WPBSA World Seniors Tour is delighted to announce a qualifying event in Sydney, Australia which will see a the winner receive a place in the World Seniors Qualifier in Hong Kong in September.
All amateur snooker players over 40 years old are welcome to enter this ground breaking event which will be held the weekend of the 11th and 12th August at the Chatswood ICS, 61 Alleyne St, Chatswood, Sydney, New South Wales.
Entry fee is $100 and the matches will be played over a best of 5 format with a black ball decider at 2-2.
The winner will receive return flights to Hong Kong and their hotel for the duration of their stay. Their entry fee will also be covered.
The winner must be free to travel into HK between 20-23rd September to compete in the World Seniors Uk Championship Qualifiers.
All interested players should contact Greg Jenkins on Gj9ball@hotmail.com
Further details can be found here https://www.facebook.com/events/167791800554739/for those not able to access FB, here is the post:
ICS Hong Kong Qualifier
A qualifying event to send 1 person to Hong Kong to compete in the Hong Kong Qualifier 21-23 August 2018, for the UK Seniors Championship 23-25 October 2018.
Expressions of Interest
Matches will be Best of 5 frames, with a respotted Black at 2-2. This is the official format. Depending on runners we are hoping to play groups stage followed by Single Knockout.
Winner will receive Airfare and Accommodation in Hong Kong.
Entry Fee is $100.00
ICS has generously donated the use of 3 Shender tables for the qualifier.
We are also hoping to obtain 3 table sponsors for $250.00 per table during this event. Please advise if you are interested.
Additional sponsors would be much appreciated. Along with any official qualified referees who would like to donate their time.
Any inquiries please contact;
Greg Jenkins
Ph. 0425314591 or
Email: gj9ball@hotmail.com
Seniors Tour is Hong Kong bound …
Indeed there will be a qualifying event for the Seniors UK Championship in Hong Kong this season!
I will be played at the i20 Snooker Academy in Hong Kong and Roger Leighton, who is a professional snooker coach there, shared this video on Facebook.
To say that these facilities are outstanding is by no means an overstatement. This is an exceptional club, run by serious people!
Roger Leighton himself has every reason to be proud: Luo Honghao who won the inaugural World Snooker Federation Championship in Malta, aged only 18, is one of his students. Luo will play on the Main Tour this season and I fully expect him to do very well. And now, another of Roger’s students, 16 years old Wu Yize, just became China’s under 21 Champion.
And, of course, Hong Kong itself is an exceptional city … and a hot bed of snooker.
Dare to dream?
The WPBSA World Seniors Snooker Tour announce a new partnership with the EASB
This was published yesterday on the WPBSA website
World Seniors Snooker and EASB Announcement
31st May 2018
The WPBSA World Seniors Snooker Tour is delighted to today announce a new partnership with the English Association of Snooker and Billiards (EASB) which will see both companies work closely together to support each other’s initiatives in England.
The EASB has been granted places in all English based World Seniors Snooker Tour qualifiers with a remit to reward not only their champions but deserving players who have served the national governing body.
World Seniors Snooker (WSS) has also committed to booking all referees through the EASB and providing those selected for the UK Seniors Championship in Hull this October the opportunity to work alongside senior referee Michaela Tabb. It has also been stipulated that all English nationals who enter any World Seniors Tour qualifier must be a member of the EASB.
WSS will benefit from the promotion of its events by the EASB to all their members and a scheduling commitment not to clash any events this season.
Jeff Robinson, EASB Chairman said: “The EASB is proud to partner with Jason Francis and the World Seniors Snooker Tour. Along with the English Partnership for Snooker & Billiards and the World Snooker Federation, this is another example of the growing relationship between the amateur and professional sport. As this relationship grows the opportunities to be involved at the highest level are also growing. It is an exciting time for English amateur snooker players and officials.”
Jason Francis, WSS Chairman said: “I am delighted that we will be able to work closely with the EASB in this way. The support of the national federations from all regions is significant to the ongoing development of the World Seniors Tour.”
The World Seniors Snooker Tour qualifiers to be staged in England this season are:
7-9 Sep – Barratts, Northampton
28-30 Sep – Pot Black, Clacton
5-7 Oct – Scotties, Liverpool
2-4 Nov – Newbury, Berkshire
14-16 Dec – Coulsdon, Surrey
8-10 Feb – Newbury, Berkshire – 6-Red
8-10 Mar – Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds
More seeds confirmed for the Seniors UK 2018 in Hull
In addition to Jimmy White, the defending Champion and Ken Doherty, two more names have been confirmed for the Seniors UK Championship in Hull: Joe Johnson and Aaron Canavan, the reigning Seniors World Champion.
tweets by Jason Francis yesterday:
As the current World Seniors Champion we are delighted to announce that Aaron Canavan will take his place as number 2 seed in Hull
@hull_venue Dreams do come true! Book now
Another Legend announced for the Uk Seniors in Hull in October. 1986 World Champion JOE JOHNSON
@JoeJohnson86@hull_venue get tickets here https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/2018-uk-seniors-snooker-championship-hull/event/360054A4AE61279C?artistid=1769416&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=102 …
Here are infos about the venue and the event
Blast from the past and it’s great!
https://www.wpbsa.com/okane-to-compete-on-world-seniors-tour/
O’Kane to Compete on World Seniors Tour
29th May 2018
New Zealand’s Dene O’Kane has announced he will be dusting off his cue and entering the World Seniors Tour qualifiers in Hong Kong this September.
The former world number 18 and two-time World Championship quarter-finalist will be returning to the country where he reached his only professional ranking final at the 1989 Hong Kong Open, narrowly losing out 9-8 to Mike Hallett.
Dene O’Kane said: “I am delighted to be a part of the new World Seniors Snooker Tour. I must say it is long overdue and will be the perfect platform for many ex-professional players to compete again together with new opportunities for amateur players in participating countries.”
Jason Francis, Chairman of World Seniors Snooker said: “The tour we are building is the perfect vehicle for former professionals of the game like Dene who were household names in the 1980s and still enjoy competing, It would be great to see more players of his era giving this tour a go.”
The UK Seniors Championship qualifiers take place on 21-23 September 2018 at the i20 club in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is open to any player over 40 years of age who is a member of their national federation. The winner in Hong Kong will take their place alongside legends including Jimmy White in Hull this October, with the winner to earn their place at the professional 2019 Betfred World Championship.
To enter a qualifier click HERE.
Ken Doherty to play at the Seniors UK 2018
As announced by Jason Fancis on twitter yesterday
Delighted to announce
@kendoherty1997 will be playing in the UK Seniors Championships@hull_venue in October. More legends will be announced soon. Tickets selling. Legends Lunches and VIP meet and greets available
Battle of the 16 in Newbury … closing the 2017/18 season.
The top 16 players – based on the final 2017/18 rankings – battled it out last week-end in Newbury and it was Patrick Wallace who came out the winner. He received his trophy from Nigel Coton, both Seniors and WDBS player.
Patrick faced Sean Lanigan in the final. Sean had defeated the reigning Seniors World Champion, Aaron Canava, in the semi finals.
There were also new goodies on offer and promoted by the top model on duty, Gary Filtness
Gary won the high break prize too but I wonder if he got his prize money; indeed this is what Jason Francis tweeted:
High Break at the seniors was a 109 by
@GaryFiltness we had 4 other centuries as well and too many 50+ to list. Thanks to@Magician147 for donating the £500 which Gary will get if he manages a 24 hour sponsored silence.
Big thanks to Shaun Murphy for his support!
Don’t forget that the new season is upon us.
All info and link to the registration page are here
World Seniors Snooker 2018 Awards…
It’s that time of the year: snooker awards !
So, here are my picks on the 2017/18 Seniors season highlights and heroes…
First of all, one man who deserves a special mention is Jason Francis, the creator and original promoter of the World Seniors tour. Jason did put an extraordinary amount of work and passion in developing the tour: it had just one event last season, it had four this season, it will have at least 6 next season. Take a bow Jason!
But we shouldn’t forget that behind Jason there is a dedicated team, working tirelessly. Thank you guys and gals! One member of this team was working at the Masters only days after her partner passed away, she found the courage to be 100% professional and even to smile. That’s how decdicated they are. So big, big respect and thank you to all of them.
Now onto the awards…
Player of the season: Jonathan Bagley
Jonathan finished n°1 in the rankings this season, having qualified for all four main events. He reached the semi-finals in the Seniors UK, the final in the Seniors Irish Masters, the semi finals in the Seniors World Championship, and the Final in the Seniors Masters.
Achievement of the season: Aaron Canavan, World Champion
Aaron had never competed at professional level before playing at the World Championship qualifiers last months. Family circumstances came in the way of his snooker ambitions when he was a teenager, and he had rarely played outside the Channel Islands … but he dared to dream and is our reigning World Champion, a hero at home, and a fantastic advert for Seniors snooker!
Sub(stitute) of the season: Steve Davis, Irish Masters Champion
Steve Davis isn’t a snooker player anymore … he’s DJ Thundermuscle nowadays. When he accepted to replace Stephen Hendry at the Irish Masters, he made it clear this was a one-off. Who would have guessed that he was going to lift the Alex Higgins Trophy in Goffs? Not many surely. But that’s exactly what he did! And he was presented the trophy by Lauren Higgins, the daughter of his once harsh rival…
Amazing story of the season: Cao Kaisheng
Cao had never left China… before he qualified for the Seniors World Championship, came out the best out of a 80+ qualifier field in Beijing and traveled to Scunthorpe! He made himself very proud by reaching the semi finals, despite the tiredness of the travel and the stress of playing in front of thousands glued on the streaming at home: they were half a million watching at prime time. That’s serious pressure.
Magic moment of the season: Cliff Thorburn celebrates after winning the Masters
It had been more than 30 years since Cliff Thorburn, 70 years old, had last lifted a trophy. Last months he won the Seniors Masters at the Crucible and celebrated in style before declaring “This feels so good, it’s been so long”. This is what sport is all about: the passion and desire never go. It may have slipped under the media radar but those who were at the Crucible that night surely lived it with Cliff. It was marvellous, it was magic!
You can re-live the season in images by browsing through the Events Pictures Gallery
The WPBSA World Seniors Tour 