Every one a Cue Star

Jordan Winbourne

Botley boy wonder Jordan Winbourne, 11, won the under-12 rankings and nine-year-old wonderkid Shane Castle (Marchwood) finished third in his debut season.

Billy Castle, 14, (Marchwood) won the under-15s by a landslide and Jason Hildyard, 14, (Fair Oak) made a late run to clinch the runners-up spot. Gas Elite-sponsored Jordan Sainsbury, 14, (Chandler’s Ford) finished eighth.

The team series was a one-two for Chandler’s Ford. Captain Peter Maraziotis led the A team of Dan Hildyard, Nick Jennings and Jason Hildyard to victory over 31 teams and Ollie Tydeman captained the B side of Billy Castle, Lee Roling (Chandler’s Ford) and John Smith (Otterbourne) to second spot.

Daniel Woods (Hedge End) was runner-up in the under-21s to Liam Tinne (Salisbury) and Ollie Tydeman (Chandler’s Ford) finished eighth.

Century-breaker Dan Hildyard (Fair Oak) finished second in the scratch Under-21 Premier Series to Ryan Mears (Aldershot) and Nick Jennings (Otterbourne) came in at number ten.

In the senior series, only Cuestars Director John Hunter (Salisbury) came between Alex Dunkley (Bursledon) and the title. Nick Jennings in third and Peter Maraziotis (West End) in tenth completed an outstanding season.

Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club dominated the Cuestars junior Championships at Swindon - incredibly winning all four individual trophies.

At the final junior singles event of the season: Jordan Winbourne won the Under-12 final, Billy Castle the Under-15s, Ollie Tydeman the Under-21 Open and Dan Hildyard the Under-21 Premier Series final. John Hunter believes this feat has never been achieved before.

Club boss Jim Everett said: “It’s our best year as a club since Cuestars began.”

But Jim would not divulge the secret beefburger recipe that appears to form the lad’s staple diet.

There are 23 snooker clubs affiliated to the South of England Cuestars Foundation, from Brighton to Poole in the South and from High Wycombe to Trowbridge in the North of the region. The competitions also attract players from further afield, like Cardiff and Gloucester. All players are handicapped according to their highest breaks and their performances in previous Cuestars events. The tournaments are played at various venues around the South, on Sundays from September to June. More details at cuestars.uk.com.

Picture: Kevin Legg