Nanai 8-ball champ

TOP PLAYERS: Alex Nanai on the striped or big balls during the Gisborne Cossie Club 8-ball open singles tournament. Nanai defeated Neil Robinson in the best-of-seven-games final. Pictures by Paul Rickard

POOL

HE’S had his fair share of success on snooker tables and last weekend Alex Nanai converted that to the smaller cuesport arena.

Nanai won the third annual Gisborne Cossie 8-ball open pool singles title.

Played under the more stringent chartered rules than social pool, Nanai defeated Neil Robinson 4-2 in the best-of-seven-games final.

Nanai beat Taradale player Garry Nugent 4-1 in the semis.

Robinson booked his place in the title decider with a 4-2 win against 2016 champion Phil Thompson senior.

The best-of-five-games plate final went all the way, with Bill Raggett beating Tony Murphy 3-2.

Raggett ousted Whakatane’s Mark Parkinson 3-1 in the semis and Murphy knocked out Glen “Charlie” Rangihuna-Atkins 3-0.

Most of the field went home with a cash prize.