This season eight “week winners” will compete for the biggest price in amateur snooker.
They are Michael Holt, Harvey Chandler, Lee Walker, Hayden Staniland, Josh Thomond, Dharminder Lilly, Andy Lavin and Nic Barrow. Good luck to them all!
Here is what happened on week 8
On Monday … Wayne Townsend bet Patrick Wallace in the final
On Tuesday … Fergal Quinn beat Hayden Staniland in the final
On Wednesday … Hayden Staniland was our winner
The event was well supported! By pool legend Jayson Shaw and … by the local pub!
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and UAE Cue Sports have announced the launch of a new Middle East Series of events as the latest addition to WPBSA Q Tour Global.
Following the launch of both the Asia-Pacific and Americas Series previously, the Middle East region represents another significant addition to the newly expanded WPBSA Q Tour Global, which will see 24 players contest three places on the professional World Snooker Tour for the next two seasons.
The playoff will feature a minimum of 16 players from the UK/Europe rankings, who will now be joined by up to eight international qualifiers – including one from the Middle East region – from across the globe.
MIDDLE EAST SERIES
The WPBSA Q Tour Middle East Series will include three recognised tournaments to be held at the Cue Sports Academy, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi and will operate its own ranking list with the top ranked player following the third event to qualify for the Global Playoff next spring.
The qualifying events will be:
Event 1 – 4-10 January 2024
Event 2 – 11-17 January 2024
Event 3 – 18-24 January 2024
Events will be open to players holding nationality for the following countries:
Provisional African countries eligible: Egypt, Libya, Morocco
Provisional European countries eligible: Israel, Turkey
All players cannot have played in Q Tour UK/Europe during this season.
“A KEY GROWTH AREA”
Jason Ferguson, WPBSA Chairman said: “I am delighted to welcome the Middle East region to the WPBSA Q Tour Global in what is unquestionably a groundbreaking moment for our sport.
“We have been aware for several years of the great talent that exists in this region, none more so than our former Shoot Out champion Hossein Vafaei on the World Snooker Tour. We firmly believe this project will grow throughout the Middle East with many countries already active in snooker. It is vital that all players have the ability through localised events to have the opportunity to enjoy a successful career in our sport at the highest level.
“I must thank our friend Mohamad Shehab Al Hashmi for his support of this important project. Mohamed Shehab is without doubt the most decorated athlete for cuesports in the Middle East and we look forward to welcoming UAE Cue Sports as a Q Tour host venue next January.”
Mohamed Shehab Al Hashmi said, UAE Cue Sports and 12-time Arab champion said: “It is a great honour for UAE Cue Sports to be able to host these prestigious tournaments, with the top ranked player to be able to represent our region at the Q Tour Global playoff next year.
“The Middle East region is home to so many talented snooker players and we are excited to be able to provide them with this incredible opportunity to be able to compete with the best players around the world and to earn their place on the professional tour.“
Full tournament information, including entry and results will be available via WPBSA SnookerScores in due course.
Since when is Israel a European country and not a Middle East country? I’m not sure. Every geography book will tell you it’s in the Middle East. This distinction, for me, is just a trick to allow Israel exclusion from the final list as many of the Islam dominated countries cited above will not want them in there. Often in the past, when IBSF has organised events in the region, Israeli athletes were refused the necessary visas. Also, some countries – like Iran – might forbid their own players to play Israeli players. That happened even on the main tour when Hossein Vafaei was set to play Eden Sharav. Whatever your opinion on the current conflict, you have to understand that this is not right. WPBSA must obtain the guaranties that this will not happen.
In many sports Israel belongs to Europe. In geographie of course Israel is not european! In the groups for the football European championship and World championship Israel is in the european qualification , my country Austria had often to play against!!
LOL, but does Israel not participate in the Eurovision? Maybe they try to accommodate that. 🤔😁
Yes, as does Australia some years … so? Look at a map and ask yourslf how Israel can be in Europe: it’s squeezed between Egypt, Libanon and Jordania. Turkey has part of its territory in Europe.
Setting aside geography, they seem to have determined that, in terms of culture, Israel belongs to Europe. What we’re being made to behold during the most recent days seems to indicate there is more than just a kernel of truth to that.
(Here’s hoping you’ve got reliable power supply back by now, along with a cistern filled to the hilt.)
Thanks … power still a bit iffy and cistern needs more water but more rain forecast. Hopefully without power cuts this time!
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
In many sports Israel belongs to Europe. In geographie of course Israel is not european! In the groups for the football European championship and World championship Israel is in the european qualification , my country Austria had often to play against!!
LOL, but does Israel not participate in the Eurovision? Maybe they try to accommodate that. 🤔😁
Yes, as does Australia some years … so? Look at a map and ask yourslf how Israel can be in Europe: it’s squeezed between Egypt, Libanon and Jordania. Turkey has part of its territory in Europe.
Setting aside geography, they seem to have determined that, in terms of culture, Israel belongs to Europe. What we’re being made to behold during the most recent days seems to indicate there is more than just a kernel of truth to that.
(Here’s hoping you’ve got reliable power supply back by now, along with a cistern filled to the hilt.)
Thanks … power still a bit iffy and cistern needs more water but more rain forecast. Hopefully without power cuts this time!