Recentlly moved to the area,, and a member of the Windmill Gossops Green bar billiards team in the Billingshurst Bar Billiards League, 27 year old Michael Wilson has caused a sensation by winning the Guernsey Open, adding to his appearance in the final of the World Championship in Jersey last November and also winning the West-Sussex Open played in Chichester on 16th February.
This report received from Worthing’s 7-times World Champion Kevin Tunstall :
“A great weekend of Bar Billiards, fantastic new venue, and many thanks to the organisers. The Guernsey Open is unique with all the different coloured cloths, 2 purple, 1 yellow, 1 turquoise, 2 light blue and several green. A couple of them were quite a challenge with the cushions throwing very square, but mainly all played well.
Congratulations to Michael Wilson on winning the main final, beating Curt Driver of Kent. He also took out Martin Cole (West-Sussex) in the semis. I beat Nigel Senior (Brighton) in the Plate final and Brighton’s Lorraine Hall beat Jenny Noel of Jersey in the Ladies final.”
A total of 91 took part during the weekend of 3rd/4th May, 29 from Guernsey being joined by players from Jersey, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northants.
The Guernsey Open Pairs took place the day before for 44 outfits, and Michael, partnering another rising star, Max Burt, had a good run in this also, making it to the Quartef-finals.
Michael Wilson in Guernsey Open
1st Rd - Bye
2nd Rd bt Gary Powell (Surrey)
3rd Rd bt Melvyn Johnson (Oxon)
4th Rd bt Roy Le Page (Guernsey)
Qr final bt Chris Tupper (Brighton)
Semi-Final bt Martin Cole (West-Sussex)
FINAL bt Curt Driver (Kent)