Three reasons for Whaley’s success
KINGS Cross potter Lee Whaley reckons there are three reasons why “something just clicked” at the start of his phenomenal season.
The 17-year-old continued his staggering run of success on the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth.
Whaley overcome Riley Ellis (Wiltshire) 2-0 in the final of the sixth leg to collect his fifth winner’s trophy of the campaign.
But he insisted none of this would have been possible without the support of his family, extra practice time now he’s started college and the assistance of “very good coach” of five years, John Woods, who is based at the Hurricane Room, Kings Cross.
He said: “Something just clicked, I don’t know what it was.
“All the practice I’m doing is paying off. My family helped me as well, making me practise a bit more, and John’s been with me all the way through.”
Champion-elect Whaley, who is also joint third on the EPSB Under-20 Regional Development Tour South after reaching the final of the fourth leg last month in Coulsdon, has opened up a massive 58-point lead over clubmate Elliott Johnson.
Samuel Laxton (Portsmouth) is one point further back in third.
Ellis moved up to fourth after collecting his second runner-up trophy of the season.
The 15-year-old survived a play-off for one of the two best third positions and then dispatched Laxton and Johnson in the knockout, both by 2-0 scorelines.
Adam Cowdroy (Bournemouth) made the last-eight in his first event back on the Silver Tour.
To find out more about event sponsor Greenbaize Snooker Club, go to www.ambassadorsnooker.com.
Fareham Snooker Club hosts the seventh leg of ten on Sunday, February 23.
BREAKS
Lee Whaley: 40.
John Donovan: 38.
Connor Wollen: 37.
Elliott Johnson: 35, 30.
Nat Kidner: 32.
Will Forster: 30.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Lee Whaley (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Riley Ellis (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Mason Wilson (Academy, Basingstoke).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, John Donovan (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 4th, Oliver Cooper (Frames, Coulsdon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Elliott Johnson (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 2nd, Connor Wollen (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Thomas Sharp (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 5th, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Whaley 2-0 Cowdroy, O’Callaghan 2-0 Wollen, Ellis 2-0 Laxton, Johnson 2-0 Kidner.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Whaley 2-0 O’Callaghan, Ellis 2-0 Johnson.
FINAL (25/18 points): Whaley 2-0 Ellis.
Picture by Tim Dunkley
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)