Dream start for Noah

IT WAS a dream start to the new snooker season for an 11-year-old from Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.

Noah Gartell collected his first winner’s trophy on the Cuestars Under-21 Bronze Tour in the opening leg at Salisbury Snooker Club.

And the previous day he recorded a personal best 42 break (two days too late to earn promotion to Silver).

Gartell’s long weekend kicked off with an early Saturday morning ferry in time to compete in the Eastleigh & District Under-19 League at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

In the afternoon Open Series, he put together his new high break against Navraj Landa (Eastleigh).

On to Salisbury the following day and Gartell stroked in a tricky long-range black into the yellow pocket to secure a 2-1 victory over 17-year-old debutant Jack Squires (Gosport) in the final.

Clutching his prized silverware, the budding star, who attends Ryde School with Upper Chine and practises at The Ryde Club, said: “It feels amazing. The black was really high pressure.”

Jack Miller (Thatcham) marked his first event by recording a new high break of 24 in his final group-stage match against Archie Light (Lymington).

Light went on to lose 2-1 to Squires in the last-four. Gartell beat Chandlers Ford clubmate and first-time semi-finalist Chris Bennett (Blackfield) 2-1.

Bradley Jones (Gosport) and Lewis Thomson (Chandler’s Ford) qualified for the knockout on their debuts.

Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, hosts the second leg of ten on Sunday, October 1.

For more information about the event sponsor, Salisbury SC, go to salisburysnookerclub.co.uk.

BREAKS

Chris Bennett: 32.
Noah Gartell: 27, 23, 22.
Jack Squires: 25, 20.
Luke Davies: 25.
Jack Miller: 24(PB).
Lewis Thomson: 22.
Yousuf Matib: 21.
Oliver Donnelly: 21.
Archie Light: 20.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Chris Bennett (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Lewis Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Oliver Donnelly (Surrey Snooker Academy); 4th, Chester Chan (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Dylan Denieffe (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Bradley Jones (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Noah Gartell (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Rayan El Qmache (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 4th, Liam Piggott (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 5th, Fabian Bernal (Paddock Wood Social Club).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Jack Squires (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Yousuf Matib (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 3rd, Leo Stimson; 4th, Beibei Ji (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Marshal Denieffe (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Lee Clayden (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 2nd, Archie Light (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Luke Davies (Academy, Basingstoke); 4th, Charlie Ings (Salisbury SC); 5th, Jack Miller (Salisbury SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Bennett 2-1 Matib, Gartell 2-1 Clayden, Light 2-0 Jones, Squires 2-0 Thomson.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Gartell 2-1 Bennett, Squires 2-1 Light.

FINAL (25/18 points): Gartell 2-1 Squires.