SEASON 2008-2009

A preview for this season can be found by clicking here and the below information is available in a downloadable PDF format by clicking here.

The Universities Pool Council is delighted to announce the details of our competitions for academic year 2008-2009 and we would like to extend an invitation to your club/institution to participate.

Please note that all these events, excepting the UPC Women’s Eight-ball Pool Championships, are mixed.

NB. For tournament reviews, results and photographs from the current season, as well as in previous years, please see "Previous Seasons".

ENTRY

Entry forms and guidance notes will be dispatched in advance of the closing dates for each competition. Please ensure you read the guidance notes before completing the forms.

Entries can only be accepted if accompanied by full payment of the entry fees. Entry fees are non-refundable unless a team or player is refused entry by the Universities Pool Council for operational reasons.

EIGHT-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008-2009

The following teams will play at Championship/Trophy level for season 2008-2009:

• Birmingham 1st
• Cambridge 1st
• Cambridge 2nd
• Cardiff 1st
• Cardiff 2nd
• Cardiff 3rd
• Durham 1st
• Durham 2nd
• East Anglia 1st
• Edge Hill 1st
• Edge Hill 2nd
• Essex 1st
• Essex 2nd
• Glasgow 1st
• Gloucestershire 1st
• Kent 1st
• Lancaster 1st
• Loughborough 1st
• Manchester 1st
• Northumbria 1st
• Nottingham 1st
• Oxford 1st
• Plymouth 1st
• Queens, Belfast 1st
• Robert Gordon 1st
• St Andrews 1st
• St Andrews 2nd
• Salford 1st
• Strathclyde 1st
• Ulster (Coleraine) 1st
• Warwick 1st,
• Warwick 2nd
• Warwick 3rd
• Wolverhampton 1st
• York 1st
• York 2nd
• York 3rd

The following teams are eligible for the three remaining places and any other places in the event of any of the above teams failing to enter:

• Cambridge 3rd
• Essex 3rd
• Kent 2nd
• Lancaster 2nd
• Reading 1st
• St Andrews 3rd
• Ulster (Coleraine) 2nd

NB. Should Reading 1st earn promotion Reading 2nd will also be promoted as they reached the Team Shield Quarter-finals 2007-2008 but Reading 1st did not and were therefore ineligible for promotion.

All other teams, including any new teams, will play at Shield level.

PROMOTION/RELEGATION

Teams that reach the Quarter-finals of the Shield will be promoted to Championship/Trophy level for season 2009-2010 subject to competition regulations.

Teams that finish bottom of their groups at Championship/Trophy level will be relegated to Shield level for season 2009-2010 subject to competition regulations.

CHANGES FOR SEASON 2008-2009

1. BUSA NAME CHANGE

Following changes taking place over the close season, BUSA has now become BUCS (British University and Colleges Sport).

2. EIGHT-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

We are delighted to announce that this event is moving to the Vauxhall Holiday Park, Great Yarmouth.

Vauxhall Holiday Park plays host to all the major English Pool Association events such as the national finals for Inter-county and Inter-league. At Vauxhall we will have the use of thirty-six (36) top-level competition standard tables that are used only for major tournaments and are set-up in a dedicated arena.

Moving to the Vauxhall Holiday Park, Great Yarmouth means that for the first time all Eight-ball Championship events – Individual Championship, Team Championship, Trophy and Shield – will be played over one weekend rather than have the Team Shield run over a separate weekend, as has been the case in the past.

Teams will be obliged to stay on site and the UPC have negotiated the provision of accommodation for three nights (Thursday-Saturday). The cost is to be finalised but will not be greater than £45.00 per person (for all three nights).

As accommodation is provided on the Thursday night we are proposing to start the Individual Championship on the Thursday afternoon. By doing this we will be able to substantially increase the number of competitors to over 400 from the present limit of 192. We are confident that almost, if not all, those desiring to take part in the Individual Championship will be able to do so. We will consult with teams before making a final decision.

The additional tables and dedicated arena also enables other possibilities - such as running flyers and organising exhibitions as the competition’s table requirements diminish towards the end of each day.

Apart from the tournament venue there is a Games Room on site, with a further twenty (20) pool tables, as well as some snooker tables etc., which will be open for the duration of the event.

Moving to the Vauxhall Holiday Park, Great Yarmouth brings the BUCS-UPC Eight-ball Pool Championships into the premier league of pool events, and having all of eight-ball events on one weekend and all the participants staying on the one site will generate a unique pool village atmosphere which we are confident will enhance the experience of the weekend for all participants.

3. NINE-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Qualifying

Due to time and venue constraints the Team Championship/Trophy has to be capped at 32 teams. Entries in excess of this number will result in third teams playing a double elimination qualifying event on the Friday of the Championships.

4. ACCOMMODATION DEALS

We are currently finalising some accommodation deals for the Nine-ball and Women’s Eight-ball events that should see discounted accommodation available to participants for these events. More information will be available in the near future.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT

Dr. Iorwerth Griffiths
Email Us Here