Chloe retains Chandlers Ford ladies title

HAVANT teenager Chloe White has retained the Ladies Championship title at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

The 16-year-old, conceding a 20-point handicap start, beat Lynda Crook in the final with a cocked-hat double on the black.

White had clawed back a 27-point deficit with three reds left after her opponent from Bishops Waltham had sprinted into an early lead with some excellent long pots.

Crook only decided to enter the event after meeting up with old friend Michelle Jeffery for lunch earlier that day.

Both semis were also decided on the black. White edged Trudy Schwedler on the final ball and Crook overcame Jackie Ellis on what can only be described as a marathon black-ball game to end a near one-hour but highly-entertaining frame.

White, whose highest break is 38, is ranked 45th on the World Ladies Billiards and Snooker circuit and finished last season in third place on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.

Both finalists were undefeated in their respective round-robin groups.

Tracey Westwell, who lost out in a tense three-way play-off for the second qualifying spot in her group, went on to beat Lorraine Colliss in the Plate final.

Trophies were presented by women’s world number eight Suzie Opacic, a former winner of the Chandlers Ford title, and club owner Ray Cooper.

Earlier in the day, Gosport-based English Under-14 Champion Olly Gibbs, 13, compiled a personal best 87 break against Connor Benzey in the Eastleigh & District Under-19 Premier League.

And William Thomson, who turned five last month, potted two reds and two colours for a new high break of 14 against Lee Cooper in the Under-13 League.

RESULTS

Group A: 1st, Chloe White (Havant); 2nd, Jackie Ellis (Clyffe Pypard, North Wilts); 3rd, Lorraine Colliss (Chandler’s Ford); 4th, Claire Sykes (Chandler’s Ford); 5th, Sarah Hughes (Chandler’s Ford).

Group B: 1st, Lynda Crook (Bishops Waltham); 2nd, Trudy Schwedler (Horton Heath); 3rd, Tracey Westwell (Eastleigh); 4th, Michelle Jeffery (Micheldever Station).

Semi-finals: Crook beat Ellis, White beat Schwedler.

Final: White beat Crook.

PLATE

Prelim: Hughes beat Jeffery.

Semi-finals: Westwell beat Sykes, Colliss beat Hughes.

Final: Westwell beat Colliss.

Referees: Steven Hughes, Ryan Hughes, Callum White, Riley Ellis.

Picture by Tim Dunkley

From left: Plate runner-up Lorraine Colliss, championship runner-up Lynda Crook, women’s world number eight Suzie Opacic, club owner Ray Cooper, ladies champion Chloe White, plate winner Tracey Westwell.

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)