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03-10-2005, 07:38 AM
Pool tourney to return next year
By Jason O. Boyd, Sports Editor
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
The Women's Professional Billiards Association was apparently impressed with last month's Carolina Women's Billiard Classic. Now, it's going to be an annual event in Rocky Mount.
Tony Davis, chief executive officer of PrimeQuest Association, one of the major groups responsible for getting the WPBA to come to Rocky Mount, confirmed Wednesday that the WPBA will be back in Rocky Mount next year. The event is scheduled to return during the second week in February to Nash Community College.
The WPBA is a national touring organization that showcases the best women's pool players in the world. Recently, the group held an event at Nash Community College that was taped for later broadcast on the cable sports network ESPN.
Next year's event will be billed as the WPBA Masters but will still have the original name, the Carolina Women's Billiard Classic, attached to the title. It is scheduled to be held during the second week in February each year that it is held in Rocky Mount.
"They (WPBA) came here not knowing what would happen," Davis said. "The bottom line is we set the bar for the rest of their stops. The casinos never take this kind of time. It's sort of a sideshow to them.
"Everyone was treated equally, and the organization of the tournament was unbelievable for a first-time event. We are just excited that it's coming back."
The four-day event featured some of the best pool players in the world, including the No. 1 player, Allison Fisher, who won the tournament. Jennifer Page, a pool player from Wilson, also made a run in the tournament, which sparked increased local interest in the event.
Davis said the number of top pool players, combined with the area's interest and curiosity in the event, made it an easy sell for everyone involved. He's hoping the success of the event will lead to even more interest from the area, now that it's a known fact it will be returning here on a yearly basis.
"The biggest thing right now is to get Rocky Mount to understand this is a major event," Davis said. "It's big for Rocky Mount, and we need them to take ownership of this tournament.
"I know Rocky Mount was hesitant to support it, which I would be like because we didn't know what kind of event it was going to be. Now we know, so we need to fill the gaps — labor and financially — to make this an even bigger event."
web page (http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/hp/content/news/stories/2005/03/09/03102005rmttourney.html;COXnetJSessionID=Cwrzs7znz Drb1NND43dwUqaiXVdXSOrIW1PtQzgJSR6n2nk2q4Q2!-1804650266?urac=n&urvf=11104694918560.965229036285 621)
By Jason O. Boyd, Sports Editor
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
The Women's Professional Billiards Association was apparently impressed with last month's Carolina Women's Billiard Classic. Now, it's going to be an annual event in Rocky Mount.
Tony Davis, chief executive officer of PrimeQuest Association, one of the major groups responsible for getting the WPBA to come to Rocky Mount, confirmed Wednesday that the WPBA will be back in Rocky Mount next year. The event is scheduled to return during the second week in February to Nash Community College.
The WPBA is a national touring organization that showcases the best women's pool players in the world. Recently, the group held an event at Nash Community College that was taped for later broadcast on the cable sports network ESPN.
Next year's event will be billed as the WPBA Masters but will still have the original name, the Carolina Women's Billiard Classic, attached to the title. It is scheduled to be held during the second week in February each year that it is held in Rocky Mount.
"They (WPBA) came here not knowing what would happen," Davis said. "The bottom line is we set the bar for the rest of their stops. The casinos never take this kind of time. It's sort of a sideshow to them.
"Everyone was treated equally, and the organization of the tournament was unbelievable for a first-time event. We are just excited that it's coming back."
The four-day event featured some of the best pool players in the world, including the No. 1 player, Allison Fisher, who won the tournament. Jennifer Page, a pool player from Wilson, also made a run in the tournament, which sparked increased local interest in the event.
Davis said the number of top pool players, combined with the area's interest and curiosity in the event, made it an easy sell for everyone involved. He's hoping the success of the event will lead to even more interest from the area, now that it's a known fact it will be returning here on a yearly basis.
"The biggest thing right now is to get Rocky Mount to understand this is a major event," Davis said. "It's big for Rocky Mount, and we need them to take ownership of this tournament.
"I know Rocky Mount was hesitant to support it, which I would be like because we didn't know what kind of event it was going to be. Now we know, so we need to fill the gaps — labor and financially — to make this an even bigger event."
web page (http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/hp/content/news/stories/2005/03/09/03102005rmttourney.html;COXnetJSessionID=Cwrzs7znz Drb1NND43dwUqaiXVdXSOrIW1PtQzgJSR6n2nk2q4Q2!-1804650266?urac=n&urvf=11104694918560.965229036285 621)