Local Lelea rules tables at Gisborne Masters

Ian “Tiny Thompson goes pocket-hunting in the Gisborne Masters snooker tournament at the Cossie Club. Thompson made the championship 32 but was knocked out by eventual runner-up and fellow Gisborne player Bill Raggett in the round of 16.Picture by Paul Rickard

SNOOKER

An outside invasion was repelled by the home forces in another successful edition of the Gisborne Masters snooker tournament over King’s Birthday Weekend.

On Cossie Club tables described by some as among the best in the country, local cuesters Kasi Lelea and Bill Raggett prevailed after section play and championship 32 knockout games.

Lelea (off a 15 handicap) and Raggett (25)  made their way through a minefield of players to book their spots in the best-of-three-frames final.

There, Lelea proved too good, winning 2-0 to claim the championship title.

Lelea, one of 13 Gisborne players in the 48-strong field, topped his group in section play. He won four of his six matches to advance to the championship 32.

He beat fellow Gisborne player Larry Robinson (33 handicap) 2-0 in the round of 32, Dennis Trotter (Morrinsville, 9) 2-0 in the round of 16, Don Trigger (New Plymouth, 27) 2-1 in the quarterfinals and Terry Rolfe (Rotorua, 12) 2-0 in the semis.

Raggett had three wins and two losses in section play.

He beat Gisborne’s Tony Murphy (10) 2-0 in the round of 32, local Ian “Tiny” Thompson (25) 2-1 in the round of 16, Karen Trass (Kerikeri, 56) — who earlier ousted husband Jeff Trass (19) — 2-0 in the quarterfinals and Winston Woofindin (Opotiki, 34) 2-0 in the semis.

The Flight 16 was won by John Reid (Tokoroa, 14), who beat Graham Ford (Te Atatu, -17) 2-1 in the final.

Diane Clark (Mount Maunganui, 39) defeated Keith Kelly (Tokoroa, 6) 2-0 in the Plate 16 final.

Gisborne’s Barry Jones (39 handicap) beat Paul Phillips (Hamilton, 29) 2-0 in the Consolation Plate 8 final.

The Gisborne tournament is part of the New Zealand Masters circuit and over 20 chartered clubs from Kerikeri to New Plymouth to Porirua were represented.