Page 4 - Autumn 2014

Page 4:Layout 1 06/10/2014 12:59 Page 1

4 The World Short Mat Championships
are held every two years and this year’s
event was staged in Cardiff. A full team
consists of 20 players, two Singles, two
Pairs, two Triples and Two Fours. Set
in two groups in each event, with the
winners and runners up in each to qual-
ify for the knockouts.
This is the first time this has been
done since the 1980’s. The first World
Championships was organised in this
way but it was unfortunately changed.
We have now reverted to the system
operated in most big tournaments that
the winner of one group plays the run-
ners up of the other and vice versa,
making the two semi-finals.
Not everyone is able to field 20
players but it is important that we get as
many countries as possible to take part
and this year Cyprus entered for the
first time with a Triples team. Hopefully
more will take part in two-years time.
Also, with increased participation
the event has now gone to three days,
which was inevitable with so many play-
ers taking part. This year’s Champi-
onships in the end became basically an Ireland and Wales show, with England taking a smaller
part and with everyone else falling by the wayside.
CONROY IS KING OF THE SINGLES
CONROY IS KING OF THE SINGLES
The Singles is generally regarded as the Premier event. The “A” section opened up without
any surprises, England’s Adam Sultana duly dispatched his Isle-of-Man opponent 27 - 5 and Wales
Luke Haddon did the same to Italy by 21 shots to 4. Ireland’s John Quinn dropped two two’s on
the closing ends to Sweden but still won 14 - 10.
In the next round however, Quinn was shocked by Belgium’s Jonathan Payne, who romped
into a 12 - 4 lead after nine of the 15 ends.
Quinn fought back and took the next five
ends but Jonathan kept him to a two and
four singles and eventually won 13 - 10.
Another round of games saw no
shocks but England, Wales and Ireland
rattled up their shots plus. The second
days play saw England’s first defeat with
Luke Haddon beating Adam Sultana 13 -
9.
The second round of the day saw
Haddon facing John Quinn, who went into
the last end 8 - 9 but scored a two to
snatch a 10 - 9 victory for Ireland. In the
next round Adam Sultana was comfort-
ably defeated 15 - 10 by Sweden’s Dick
Almen.