Predator Products Hosts Inaugural World 10-ball Championship
Pro Women Join the Field to Take a Shot at the World Title
billiard News – The Predator World 10-ball Championship, hosted by Jacksonville-based Predator Products, will field 96 invitees from around the world for this first ever world title tournament. Six women will join the predominantly male lineup of international billiards superstars in a battle for over $55,000 in prizes. In conjunction with the Predator World 10-ball Championship, the 2nd Annual US Amateur 8-ball and 9-ball Open and the Junior World 10-ball Championship will be held.
“We are thrilled and proud to host the first ever World 10-ball Championship,” said Karim Belhaj, CEO of Predator Products. “For many years now, we have been sponsoring championship billiards events. However, the magnitude of this World Title event is especially exciting for us, particularly since it’s being held in our hometown of Jacksonville.”
The Predator World 10-ball Championship will be held from May 23-27, 2007 at Bankshot billiards in Jacksonville, FL. The Championship will have the largest foreign field ever attended in Florida’s strong billiards history, including players from over 20 countries including Italy, Hong Kong, Sweden, Russia, France, Canada, China, England, Australia, Germany, Korea, Philippines and the USA. As well as being the first ever World 10-ball Championship in history, this will be the first time a rotation game World Championship will be held on American soil since 1994.
In an unusual, yet positive step, six women will join a largely male field in the battle for the title of world 10-ball champion. WPBA pros Gerda Hofstatter of Austria (currently ranked #9 on the Woman’s Pro Tour), Kim Shaw of England and Anna Kostanian of New Mexico will do battle with the likes of top pro veteran Tony Robles (USA), as well as Charlie Williams (USA), Mika Immonen (FIN), Thorsten Hohmann (GER), Mike Davis (USA), Johnny Archer (USA) and Niels Feijen (NET).
The 2nd Annual US Amateur 8-ball and 9-ball Open will also take place at Bankshot billiards from May 23-27, with the Junior World 10-ball Championship to be held May 26-27.
The Predator World 10-ball Championship is being produced by Dragon Promotions, one of the leading producers of billiard programming in the world today. Admission to the amateur events is free. Spectators can purchase tickets to the World 10-ball Championship event by phoning Bankshot billiards on (904) 998-2100. Additional information on these events can be found at Dragonpromotions.com.

Partners Capture D L billiards and RunTheRack.com First Annual

D L billiards RunTheRack.com held the First Annual Partner’s 8 ball Tournament hosted at Boston billiards in Warwick on Sunday May 20th. Sixty-Four players signed up for a tournament of 32 teams. The alternating partner shot format made the tournament a fun and exciting time for all participants.
Area merchant’s donations of prizes trophies totaling over $5,000.00.
A day of fun came down to the final match between Dr. Bernie Kilcline partnered with Russ Ronco matched against Donna Brouillette and Mike Grant. After each team winning two games each in a race to three, it came to the final game to determine 1st place.
A hill hill match made the finish very exciting with Donna Brouillette slamming a very difficult 8 ball shot into the side pocket for the win sending the crowd to their feet. The winners, Donna and Mike went undefeated for the tournament.
Final Results:
First Place: Donna Brouillette Mike Grant
Second Place: Dr. Bernie Kilcline Russ Ronco
Third Place: Don Wiitala Denise Wiitala
Fourth Place: John Hussey Nicole Christie
Visit the D L billiards Partner Tournament image gallery (/gallery2/v/Pool+Tournaments/DL_billiards_partners/)
Area merchants helping to make the event the success it was included: Showcase, UNO, D’Angelos, Macaroni Grill, Longhorn Steakhouse, Paula’s Restaurant, Governor Francis Inn, Main Street Coffee, Java Madness, Exotic Tans, Express Embroidery, Chalks billiards, Legion Bowl, Kingstown Bowl, Showcase Cinemas, Mike Webb Cues, Eneida Vann Hair, Joe Tucker.net, Corner Pocket, Elmwood Auto Service Citizens Bank.

Undefeated 30K Tour Victory for Hjorliefson

Canadian 30K Tour / Newmarket, ONT
by Willy Hermoza and Tony Butera
Thirty-two die-hard pool players gave up the sunny skies for a chance to compete in the 34th stop of the Canadian 30K Tour at Bigwigs May 19-20. Frequent winner Erik Hjorliefson went home with the first-place prize.
Hjorliefson went undefeated through the winners’ side, making quick work of Ken Botham 10-2 for the hot seat. On the one-loss side Jeff Dick finished in fifth place, being eliminated by up-and-coming 14-year-old Jeff Robson. Mike Leigh ended up in the same position when he fell 7-3 to George Cornelius, who was on fire.
Robson took an early lead 3-1 in the quarterfinals over his opponent, but Cornelius turned up the heat and defeated the youngster 8-4. Now playing like a man possessed, Cornelius quickly dispatched Botham 7-4 to advance to the finals. However, Hjorleifson ended Cornelius’ run 10-2, going undefeated.
Results:
1st Erik Hjorliefson
2nd George Cornelius
3rd Ken Botham
4th Jeff Robson
5th Jeff Dick
Mike Leigh

Sakai Steals Spirit Tour Win

Ladies Spirit Tour / Holiday, FL
by R. Case
The Ladies Spirit Tour’s third event of the season was held April 27-28 at Hammer Heads billiard Lounge in Holiday, FL, where 46 women competed in the qualifier event for the WPBA Florida Classic. Top players included WPBA pros Ellen Van Buren, Tracie Hines, and Miyuki Sakai, along with Spirit Tour regular top finishers such as Debbie Schjodt, Jeannie Seaver, Stephanie Mitchell, and Jessica Barnes.
The event drew fierce determination and competition, with some players as far away as Holland, Japan, Indiana, and North Carolina, and with many matches enduring hill-hill scores. Sakai found her way to the hot seat match against Stephanie Mitchell, and it was the WPBA pro who claimed the seat with a 7-5 win.
On the one-loss side, regulars Jeannie Seaver and Debbie Schjodt sent Dawn Fox and Tamara Rademakers home, respectively, with fifth-place finishes, setting up the next match of Seaver and Schjodt. A long-time friendship did not prevent Seaver from posting a 7-5 score against Schjodt, because Seaver wanted a chance at the first-place prize fund. However, Mitchell soon let it be known that she fully intended to win the qualifier as well as her first Ladies Spirit Tour event. Seaver had to settle for third place with a 7- 3 score against Mitchell.
The finals were set, with Mitchell and Sakai playing once again. Sakai took the lead, winning the lag and first game, but Mitchell replied quickly with a two-game lead. Mitchell’s bank shots seemed to be working in her favor, as she brought the score up to 4-1, but Sakai was not to be put away so easily, managing to bring the score up to 4-3. After trading several more racks, on the final game, Sakai attempted to shoot the 3 ball, bringing the cue ball three rails around the table to bump the 9 ball into the nearest pocket.
The next Ladies Spirit Tour event will be held June 2-3, 2007, at Stroker’s in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Results:
1st Miyuki Sakai
2nd Stephanie Mitchell
3rd Jeannie Seaver
4th Debbie Schjodt
5th Dawn Fox
Tamara Rademakers
7th Jessica Barnes
Ellen Van Buren
9th Laura Lindauer
Shanna Lewis
Jennifer Jennekens
Vanessa Seaver

Corr Takes billiard Season Finale Undefeated

New England 9-ball Series / Somersworth, NH
by Rick Davis
Top WPBA pro Karen Corr took the New England 9-ball Series by storm when she went undefeated May 5-6 to take down the top finish at the season finale. Taking place at Busters billiards in Somersworth, NH, this event brought a 48-player field to seek out the final glory of the season.
On the winners’ side Corr quickly met with Phil Stevens in the hot seat match and pounded him 9-3. On the one-loss side, control shifted after each match. In the quarterfinals Roy Morgridge and Peter Bowman clashed after each had worked up a short comeback. After the dust settled it was Morgridge who earned the right to advance. Next, Morgridge faced the incoming Stevens in a match that kept close throughout until Stevens managed to gain a quick edge for the 9-7 win.
With the finals on hand Stevens fought his way back to face Corr in the extended race to 13, but in a flash Corr was up 10-2. After some solid play from both players the vast experience of the WPBA pro took over and claimed the match 13-6.
Results:
1st Karen Corr
2nd Phil Stevens
3rd Roy Morgridge
4th Peter Bowman
5th Gary Abood
Tom McGonagle