Day One of the Lakeside IPA Blackball World Championships (that’s a bit of a mouthful), and not a massive amount to add from your roving reporter “embedded” in the Lakeside bar.
With the seeds yet to enter the fray (but with plenty watching their possible opponents with interest from the sidelines), the only (horrible) result to mention has to be the loss of Elsa Van Niekerk who was the only female entry this year, and who came all the way from South Africa, before losing in two straight sets. One of her Country’s leading lady players she was anything but disgraced, but it is a long old journey and my heart goes out to her for falling at the first fence – maybe next year?
Local support here in Surrey has been amazing, with plenty of entrants and even more (rowdy) spectators, all of them arriving to make the most of the occasion, and all of them enjoying a day out playing pool against the best. Sadly, the majority will not be back for the next round, but they went down in flames with a smile as well, and will be warmly welcomed back anytime by the IPA with an attitude like that!
Trying to spot a potential contender at this early stage is like looking for a needle in a needlestack, but I have been impressed by all of the Maltese contingent, especially Nicky Spiteri, who seems anything but overawed by the occasion and is quietly going about his business, and at the time of writing is comfortably through to the third round.
Talking of rounds, tomorrow sees the first of the doubles matches (round one), which are played to the scotch format, where players take alternate shots as opposed to alternate visits. With so few pairs matches played these days we should be in for some smiles and scowls with one player taking his shot with “Plan A” in mind – and his partner quickly turning to “Plan Z” with the alternative option – should be fun though and well worth watching on the free livestream via http://console.247platform.com/embed/?v=4c-b1a58-live so why not get involved with the fastest growing sport in the World today?