Second holiday success for Pringle

A YEAR after first picking up a cue in earnest, Charlie Pringle (pictured) has a second successive school holiday competition title to his name.

The 13-year-old Cuestars Bronze Tour player, who won the Christmas Cup, wrapped up the February Half-Term Cup in style at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

He emerged victorious from the record 17-strong field for the final day’s snooker tournament after beating Dan Sykes in the final.

Competition organiser Tim Dunkley, a World Snooker coach, said: “Twelve months ago, Charlie didn’t know how to hold a cue. His progress has been quite remarkable.

“I know he has a burning desire to improve even further and he certainly puts the hours in. Once he learns that putting the hours in and working hard are two completely different things, he could very soon become a dangerous opponent on the regional circuits.”

Pringle has in his sights clubmates Mickey Joyce and Jamie Wilson, who travel to Leeds on Saturday for the last-16 of the English Under-14 Championship.

“I want to improve to the standard of Mickey and Jamie and, hopefully, go on to bigger things,” he said.

The Thornden School pupil had led the five-day competition from the off and finished 17 points clear of runner-up Connor Benzey. Last year’s Rotary Summer Cup champion Bowen Zhu was third. Oli Line was fourth.

He did admit looking over his shoulder once or twice at defending champion and Silver Tour player Abhay Chopra but insisted: “I knew that as long as I was getting my points, I wasn’t too worried about everyone else.”

The next holiday competition is the Easter Cup.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.