Wellington cueist Harry Haenga continued his successful season with a resounding 3 nil victory over Canterbury’s Mark Canovan in the final of the 2008 Canterbury Open held at the Hornby Workingmens Club on the weekend. Haenga, the reigning national champion and New Zealand’s number 1 ranked player, struggled through section play losing 2 nil to Gordon Fitzgerald. Canovan also struggled in what was only his second tournament of the year, dropping three frames during the qualifying rounds. Canterbury’s Kelly Pritchard topped the qualifying and showed good form throughout the early knock-out stages too. Pritchard struck a determined Canovan in the semi finals and was unable to sustain pressure after taking the first frame, going down 3-1 to the two time national champion. Haenga also dropped the first frame of his semi final against Danny Ryan of Southland. Haenga was in position to take the opening frame but suffered a kick which allowed Ryan back to the table – an opportunity he seized. Haenga regained his composure in the next frame and never relented, taking the match 3-1. Earlier in the quarter final stages Pritchard accounted for Southland’s Shannon Swain 3-1, Canovan made a tournament high break of 78 in eliminating another former national champion in Peter DeGroot, Ryan battled back from 1-2 down to oust Mike Thorpe 3-2 and Haenga replicated that deed in defeating Gary Gillard, also of Canterbury.
Jim Ryan of Southland claimed the plate with victory over Grahame Nobbs whilst Barry Ede took out the flight final with a 2 nil win over New Zealand’s top women’s player, Ramona Belmont of Auckland.
1st Round; Kelly Pritchard 3 Alan Gill (Otago) 1; Shannon Swain 3 Steven Church (Canterbury) 1; Peter DeGroot 3 Ramona Belmont 1; Mark Canovan 3 Gordon Fitzgerald 0; Mike Thorpe 3 Alan Roberston (Canterbury) 1; Danny Ryan 3 Barry Ede 0; Harry Haenga 3 Brent Jones (Canterbury) 0; Gary Gillard 3 Stephen Alderson (Capital City) 2.
π Finals; Pritchard 3 Swain 1; Canovan 3 DeGroot 1; Ryan 3 Thorpe 2; Haenga 3 Gillard 2.
∏ Finals; Canovan 3 Pritchard 1; Haenga 3 Ryan 1.
Final; Haenga 3 Canovan 0.
High Break; Mark Canovan 78.
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