The inaugural World Rules Pool Tour season came to a close last weekend in Daventry with Shaun Chipperfield, Josh Kane, Amy Beauchamp and Megan Proctor all claiming titles.
Former world champion Chipperfield has been one of the sport’s most consistent performers this year with several deep runs in major events. Runner-up in two Jason Owen Opens in recent months, this time Chipperfield deservedly went home with a trophy as he won the fifth and final WPRT Main Event of the season – banking a £5,000 top prize in the process.
The Norwich cueman had a tricky opening assignment as he got past recent Ultimate Pool Challenger Series event semi-finalist Scott Pope 7-5 before eliminating former world championship semi-finalist Tom Price 7-4 in the last 64.
A blockbuster last 32 tie against Main Event 3 winner Tom Cousins went Chipperfield’s way, 7-4, and then further victories came over John Egan (7-3), current world over-50 champion Dylan Leary (7-5) and former World Masters champion Callum Singleton (8-6).
The title match was a fitting conclusion to 2021 as it featured another one of the circuit’s most prominent and successful players, Clint I’Anson.
I’Anson won the first Jason Owen Open event of the year and reached the final of the Main Event 2 in London. Testament to the sheer strength and depth of the WRPT, I’Anson had to navigate a gauntlet of world-class cueists to get to the final, denying Rob Wharne, Phil Harrison and Event 1 winner Declan Brennan in the last 16, 8 and 4 respectively.
With two such talented players, the contest was a predictably close affair with never more than two frames in it. Chipperfield led 6-4 before being pegged back to 6-6, but showed great composure and wasn’t to be denied on this occasion as he took the last two frames – including a reverse clearance in the 14th and final frame – to secure an emotional victory that surely no one can begrudge.
Champion Kane
Josh Kane was also celebrating a well-earned title triumph after he defeated Steve Petty 6-1 in the final to scoop the 2021 WRPT Jason Owen Open Event 5.
A fortnight ago at the same venue, Kane suffered a deciding frame defeat to Arfan Dad in the Main Event final, but the Coventry cueist exhibited fine resilience on his way to pocketing a £2,000 payday.
In the early rounds, Kane defeated Matt Brierley and David Stock both 4-1 before needing to negotiate a string of fierce opponents; Event 2 double winner Jack Whelan (4-2), Brennan (5-4), Scott Gillespie (5-3), I’Anson (5-2) and Aaron Davies (5-1).
The dangerous Petty awaited the former World Masters winner, but he could only tot up the sixth frame – in order to avoid a whitewash – as Kane ran out a comfortable victor to end his WRPT season perfectly.
Brilliant Beauchamp
Amy Beauchamp hit top form at exactly the right time as she claimed her maiden WRPT title when winning the inaugural Ladies Champions League Grand Finals.
The current two-discipline reigning world champion was runner-up at both events 1 and 2, but this time went home with the top honours and a boosted first prize of £1,000.
Beauchamp made her intentions clear early on by dropping only two frames in the entire round robin phase to qualify for the knockouts.
There – in a repeat of the 2019 WEPF World Ladies Championship final – she defeated Sharon James 5-2 in the last 16 and then denied Alexandra Cunha 5-0 before pipping reigning European ladies champion Leanne Cragg 5-4 in the semi-finals.
The 34-year-old faced Sharon Lunn in the title match. Lunn managed to get the better of the number one seed and three-time event winner this season – Harriet Haynes – 5-2 in the last four. However, she was unable to replicate another upset, as Beauchamp was in scintillating form in the final on her way to registering a resounding 5-1 win.
In the Ladies Europa League Grand Finals, Megan Proctor also lifted her first WPRT trophy after defeating Dawn Keeling, Rachel Davies, Maria Lewis and then Dawn Zimbalatti 5-3 in the final.