Double delight for Oliver Sykes

TEN-year-old Oliver Sykes added two titles to his name in two days at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

The left-hander (pictured) clinched the February Half-Term Cup on the final black of a tie-break frame after ending the five-day competition on level points with Bowen Zhu.

And the following day he was crowned Eastleigh & District Under-13 Premier champion for the first time. He finished the 20-week season 18 points clear of defending champion Olly Gibbs.

Jordan Clothier was third – ahead of Zhu, Harry Joyce and seven-year-old Lewis Aisthorpe-Buckley.

Blake Mitchell won Division 1 and James Greaves took the Division 2 honours.

Sykes, who compiled his highest break of 52 at Greenbaize, Bournemouth, earlier this year, reached the final of the Cuestars Under-21 Bronze Tour championship play-off last season and is currently sixth on the Silver Tour.

A new 20-week Under-13 League kicks off at 9am on Saturday at Chandler’s Ford SC.

The next school holiday competition for under-18s overseen by World Snooker coach Tim Dunkley is the ten-day Easter Cup. It runs every weekday from Good Friday, March 25, to Friday, April 8, apart from Easter Monday, which is Club Championship day. As usual, the hours are 11am-3pm and the cost is £6 a day.

Activities include billiards, cricket, Cuestars Coaching Programme and handicapped snooker. Ryan Hughes won the previous two years. Non-members and complete beginners are welcome.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.