Western Canadian Open 9-Ball Championships

Western Canadian Open 9-Ball Championships Calgary's Olympic Oval, located at the campus of the University of Calagary, has seen many champions pass through its doors, including 21 oval athletes who went to the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City - 11 of whom returned with medals. This spring, the Oval will once again play host to champions – only the blades will be replaced with cues, and the ice will be replaced with green felt as the Western Canadian Open 9-ball Championships kick off April 15. The event is already being hailed as the greatest pool event in Canada’s history since the World Amateur Snooker Championships were held here in Calgary in 1982.Nine-ball champions from around the globe are heading to Cowtown to vie for both the $40,000 cash purse and a chance to head to Tokyo in November to play in the World Pool Association’s World Championships – a trip valued at over U.S. $2,500. The Western Canadian Championships are one of 12 events on the 2003 WPA World Tour this year and represent the first time in history Canada has played host. A tour event carries with it the prestige of gaining points overall on the international circuit of billiard events ranked monthly, and players are building points to gain entry into the 2004 WPA World Tour finals.Canada’s own Cliff Thorburn (Order of Canada, Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, World Snooker Champion), Earl Strickland, Ron Wiseman, Max Eberle, Jimmy Wych, Alex Pagulayan, “Machine Gun” Luc Salvas, current Canadian 9-Ball Champion John Horsfall, Paul Potier, Brady Gollan, and Calgarians Edwin Montal (ranked as high as 9/12th in the world) and Rob MacDonald are playing.
From the U.S., Johnny “The Scorpion” Archer (number two in the world and a member of the U.S. Mosconi Cup squad); Dan Louie (World All-Round Champion); Glen Atwell (winner of the U.S. Open in Reno this month); Ernesto Dominguez; and Mike Massey, who is currently being seen in the latest pool flick, “Poolhall Junkies,” in which he plays a key role.From Europe, Chris Almond, Imran Majid, Huidji See, Dean Masters, Adam Clarke, Dean Coombes, Steven Evans and Justin Anderson from the UK, Stefan Santl from Germany. Ralf Souquet, Germany’s top ranked player and a member of the Champion Mosconi Cup squad from Europe, is also slated to enter.Play starts on April 15 at the Olympic Oval and Great White Billiards and goes through the week leading up to the finals. There will also be a great trick shot exhibition by Cliff Thorburn and Mike Massey on Saturday night at the Oval.Tickets are available daily or in the form of an event pass. For information and interviews, contact Paul Hanson at 620-3828 (cell) or 515-1078 (pager), the club at 403-253-1830, or email gwbpool@telus.net

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