As a new decade began for the British Wheelchair Pool Players Association, Europe’s biggest wheelchair 9-ball tour. Roy Kimberley continued his relentless domination of the tour, winning the opening main event of the 2010 BWPPA season at his home club Rileys Birmingham (Essex Street). The tour welcomed a new tournament director Andy Warden and welcomed back Aslam Abubaker, who participated in his first BWPPA event in 3 years, the BWPPA also welcomed a newcomer Darren Staddon.

Roy got his weekend off to a flying start with a 7-4 win over Craig Welsh, and a 7-3 win against English 8-ball World Champion Gary Swift. After a disappointing performance in the recent World 9-ball Championship in the States, Roy continued to put his demons to bed with convincing results in his quarter-final against Karl Read 7-3, he then demolished Tony Southern 7-1 in the semi to gain his berth in the first final of 2010.

Leicester’s Aslam Abubaker enjoyed his return to Europe’s biggest wheelchair 9-ball tour, beginning his campaign with a 7-4 win over Glaswegian Graham McClounnan, he then faced BWPPA Chairman Matt Gleaves and took a comfortable 7-1 win. Abubaker was then up against another Glaswegian Matt Duffy in the semis coming through 7-4. This reunited an old rivalry between Roy and Aslam, both of these players also compete on the GB9ball tour. Kimberley who was armed with a new custom-made Wayne Holmes cue and Talisman cue case after finishing last season at the top of the BWPPA main rankings put in his best BWPPA performance beating Aslam 9-4 to extend his lead at the top of the rankings.

In a revised Challenge-Cup for the 2010 season, last years #1 challenge player Frankie Gillen came close to following Roy and started this year as he ended the last, but BWPPA ranked #4 Danny Luton spoiled the party. Luton who reached the final of the Main Event here last year found himself in new territory as the new Challenge-Cup format is open to all the players who didn’t get through to the quarter-finals in the Main Event. Danny’s first round match was too close for comfort as he had to endure a hill-hill match with Graham McClounnan. BWPPA new boy Darren Staddon began his challenge campaign well beating Craig Welsh 5-3, but again Luton was in no mood for a fairytale ending as he thrashed Staddon 5-1 in the semi-finals.

The final between Danny Luton & Frankie Gillen wasn’t as straightforward as the 5-1 scoreline suggests. The first 3 racks were pretty comfortable for Danny but Frankie made it 3-1 and Danny missed some unexpected balls, which had Gillen punished, the final might have been different. The event also celebrated the BWPPA’s largest field for a number of years as 18 fierce competitors converged on England’s second capital as the city glistened in the snow.

The BWPPA are always looking for new members no matter what disability you have. To become part of Europes largest wheelchair 9-ball pool tour please visit the membership page here http://bwppa.org/membership.htm

Be Sociable, Share!

•