Currently in the Maritimes, one is hard pressed to find venues with even one snooker table. With less places to play, conventional thought would be interest in the game is dwindling. Yet that did not stop 26 lovers of the grand game from making their way to New Glasgow, Nova Scotia for the 2017 Maritime Open Snooker Championships over February 4-5 weekend. Century Snooker Club was the official host venue, with 3 snooker tables available. The newly re-located Rack ‘n Cue, also in New Glasgow, provided a fourth snooker table. All 26 players got to participate in the single knockout Open Division. Players considered non-Open Class were also entered in the AAA Division single life draw.
Play began early Saturday morning in the Open Division. The initial rounds were best 4 of 7 frame affairs. The finals would increase to best 5 of 9 frames. In the quarter-finals it was Pat Brake of Lower Sackville, NS over New Glasgow’s Bill Martin 4-0. Brad Doyle, originally from Cape Breton, now residing in Dartmouth, NS, was victorious over Mike VanBuskirk from Moncton, NB 4-3. Kristal “Cookie” MacLeod of New Waterford, NS won over last year’s Open Champion Colin Maloney of Shubenacadie, NS, 4-2. And in a battle of two New Glasgow players, Herb Watters defeated Joe Bowman 4-1. The semi-finals saw Doyle defeat Brake 4-1, and MacLeod dispatch Watters 4-0. The final match was a bit anti-climactic, as Cookie MacLeod won in a walk over of Brad Doyle. The Maritime Open Championship has been won several times by Cookie in his career, among many other major Snooker victories.
In the AAA Division, races were shortened early on to best 2 of 3 frames due to time constraints, however the latter rounds were best 3 of 5. In the quarter-finals Hugh MacEachern of Pictou, NS fell 3-1 to Randy Corey of Dartmouth. VanBuskirk beat Nick Kaiser of New Glasgow, 3-2. Peter Borden, New Glasgow, NS, beat Dale Young, Dartmouth, NS, 3-1. And Jack MacKinnon, New Glasgow, NS, ousted Halifax’s Dale Brimicombe 3-2. The semi-final results were Corey over VanBuskirk 3-1, and Borden over MacKinnon 3-1. Peter Borden then went on to a 3-1 victory in the final over Randy Corey.
Much thanks and praise go out to Tournament Director and Organizer Dale Brimicombe, and to Century Snooker Club owner Bill Martin, for giving their time and talents to bring Snooker events like this to the players who enjoy the game. And props to all those players that participated. It was a long two days. 26 players is a great achievement that all involved should be proud of. Congratulations to Cookie MacLeod and Peter Borden on your 2017 Maritime Open titles!
