As you may be aware, in partnership with the GB 9 Ball Tour (GB9), this season sees the UPC Nine-ball Pool Championships move venue to the excellent Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford (you can read more about this in the press release here). The event will utilise GB9’s professional tour conditions and in celebration of the move, in addition to the British title and prize-money, the UPC Individual Champion will be awarded full membership of GB9 for the following season worth £599, courtesy of the GB9 committee, and UPC-sponsored polo-shirts to wear on the Tour. As part of this association, the UPC are delighted to update you regularly on the latest news from the GB 9 Ball Tour.
The below content and photographs are brought to you courtesy of the GB 9 Ball Tour.
EVENT 3 – 2013 GB9 NORTHERN MASTERS – EVENT REPORT
Full and official report can be found by clicking here.
This year’s Northern Masters reached its conclusion on the GB 9 Ball Tour during the weekend of 7-9 June 2013, with Karl Boyes and Michael Rhodes taking home the major silverware from the tour’s annual 10-ball event.
This was the first event in four years to take place in Yorkshire – somewhat of a heartland for American Pool in the UK. Many of the county’s players were there to try their shot at the title. However, many of the country and indeed continent’s finest players were also there battling it out to take the title home with them and an electric tournament resulted in a quite thrilling final in Bradford.
EVENT 4 – 2013 GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS – EVENT REPORT
Full and official report can be found by clicking here.
GB9's first event ever event in Essex has reached its conclusion with Daryl Peach beating Karl Boyes to win his first GB9 event in over 12 months at the 2013 Southern Masters at London Stansted airport.
This event was the first of its kind in GB9's six year history, and the somewhat curious location ensured a truly cosmopolitan feel to a national tournament. Participants from Italy, Denmark and Spain all flew over to Great Britain to contest perhaps this season’s most anticipated competition yet. With places in a World Pool Masters qualifier at the conclusion of the event up for grabs, this was sure to be a hotly contested event and the immense quality of pool certainly didn’t disappoint. Peach who was down in tenth position in the rankings for the World Pool Masters qualifying spot prior to the start of play, had already done his maths and worked out that he needed nothing short of winning the main event in order to be in the running, a fact which brought immense pressure on each of his matches and that makes his win quite incredible.
EVENT 5 – 2013 GB9 BRITISH GRAND PRIX – EVENT ENTRY DETAILS
Full and official details can be found by clicking here.
*** DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS 31 OCTOBER 2013 ***
DATES: 29 November – 1 December 2013
VENUE: Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford
ENTRY FEE: Just £120!
Live scoring and FREE Live Streaming is provided throughout this event
PICTURED: 2012 GB9 British Grand Prix Champion – Imran Majid
INAUGURAL GB9 UK 9-BALL OPEN & 2013 GB9 FESTIVAL OF POOL
Full and official article can be found by clicking here.
GB9 were pleased to announce that for the first time ever they are to hold a UK 9-Ball Open event in 2013. The event is to be held on the 2-3 December 2013, the day after the GB9 British Grand Prix at the Park Inn By Radisson Hotel, Telford, UK. The event will have a prize fund of £20,000 including £4,000 added (subject to a full field). The full prize breakdown is as follows:
- £3,500 Winner
- £1,800 2nd
- £1,000 3-4
- £700 5-8
- £500 9-16
- £400 17-32
As this event is being played at the same time as the annual Mosconi Cup event taking place in Las Vegas, it is our intention to show this on a large screen in the private bar area.
*** DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 31 OCTOBER ***
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CLICK HERE!
This event will form part of the 2013 GB9 Festival of Pool which features:
- GB9 British Grand Prix – November 29 – December 1
- GB9 UK 9-ball Open – December 2-3
- Universities Pool Council 9-ball Pool Championships – December 5-8
All three events will be held at the fantastic Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford, UK.
** Brought to you by OB Cues – Get serious about your game**
GB 9 BALL TOUR 2014
Full details can be found by clicking here.
GB9 are pleased to be able to provide confirmed dates below for their 2014 tour stops. All the events will use the fantastic venues of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group (Park Inn by Radisson) with the exception of the Northern venue, De Vere Village Herons’ Reach Hotel – Blackpool.
GB9 Midlands Classic – Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford – February 21-23
GB9 Paul Medati Trophy – Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Northampton – April 4-6
GB9 Northern Masters (10-ball) – De Vere Village Herons’ Reach, Blackpool – June 20-22
GB9 Southern Masters – Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Northampton – August 1-3
GB9 British Grand Prix – Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford – November 21-23
2nd UK 9-Ball Open – Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford – November 24-26
Following the final tour stop, and completing the final of 3 events forming the 2014 Festival of Pool, will be the UPC 9-ball Pool Championships Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford – November 27-30.
Entry Fees & Deadlines
Full details of how to enter can be found by clicking here.
Annual Challenge Division membership (limited to 128 players) is just £399. There is a saving here of £100 per year for ladies, juniors (14-18) and wheelchair players.
Annual Pro Division membership is £999.
The deadline for applications and deposits to the 16 player Pro division is 31 December 2014, and for the Challenge division it is 31 January 2014.
Loyalty Bonus For Continuing GB9 Members!
As a special thank you to the GB9 members who have played ALL five GB9 tour events in 2013 at the end of this season, the GB9 are pleased to announce that a £20 credit will be applied to their accounts on application to the tour for the 2014 season. To take up this offer your application and £99 deposit must be received no later than 31 December 2013.
NEW TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR & COMMITTEE
The current GB9 tournament director and co-founder of GB9, Lee Rigby is standing down at the end of 2013 season. Lee will join the GB9 committee at the start of 2014 and will also take on the role of running the live-stream at all GB9 events, so you’ll still see him about at the events.
Lee has been a pivotal figure in the smooth and professional running of GB9 events since the tours inception back in 2008 and I’m sure you will all join the committee in thanking Lee for all his hard work over the years. I’m sure he also won’t mind you buying him a beer if you wish!
From 2014 the role of Tournament Director will be taken over by current GB9 referee Phil Turner. Phil brings with him a wealth of experience both as a referee and also as current Tournament Director for the IPA tour. We all wish Phil well in his new role.
The bulk of the other behind the scenes work previously carried out by Lee will be taken on by tour Chairperson, Andy Warden.
Committee Positions
The GB9 currently have a vacant committee-member position. If any tour members are interested and willing to give up some of their spare time and ideas to help in the organisation of events, have a say on how the tour is run, and help move GB9 forward, please contact Andy Warden. If you would like to put yourself forward or just want to discuss what working on the Committee entails then please contact Andy at andy.warden@gb9balltour.com
For further news, reports and previews from the GB 9 Ball Tour, Britain’s official professional 9 ball pool tour,please visit: www.gb9balltour.com
For further information about this year's UPC Nine-ball Pool Championships, please click here.
