Snooker

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New event to kick off next season

 

World Snooker has announced that the forthcoming

season will start with a new ranking event in NI.

 

The Northern Ireland Trophy, which was an invitation event

last year, takes place in Belfast and will be the first ranking

event hosted by the country.

 

The world's top 32 players plus 16 qualifiers will take part in

the competition which will be held at the Waterfront Hall be-

tween 13-20 August.

 

Prize money on the tour has increased by more than £400,000

to £3.26m.

 

"I have stated many times that our goal is to increase the

number of ranking tournaments and the level of prize mon-

ey and I'm delighted that we are now in a position to start

fulfilling that promise," said World Snooker chairman Sir Rod-

ney Walker.

 

"This growth has been achieved through our recent sponsor-

ship and broadcast deals and it is only the first step in the de-

velopment of the tour.

 

"We intend to continue to boost events and prize money in

the coming seasons.

 

"Hopefully snooker fans and players will recognise this an-

nouncement as very encouraging news for the sport."

 

World Snooker Tour 2006/07

 

13.-20. 08. 2006:

Northern Ireland Trophy, Waterfront Hall, Belfast

 

21.-29. 10. 2006:

Grand Prix, Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre

 

04.-17. 12. 2006:

UK Championship, Barbican Centre, York

 

14.-21. 01. 2007:

The Masters (TBC)

 

29. 01.-04. 02. 2007:

Malta Cup, Hilton Conference Centre, Portomaso

 

11.-18. 02.:

Welsh Open (TBC)

 

25. 03.-01. 04. 2007:

China Open, Student Gymnasium, Beijing

 

21. 04.-07. 05. 2007:

World Snooker Championship, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

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Ronnie O'Sullivan is to make his debut on the lucrative

International Pool Tour in Las Vegas on Saturday.

 

The 'Rocket' joins Jimmy White and a host of English

8-Ballers for the inaugural event on the IPT circuit, the

North American Open.

 

They are among 200 players chasing a first prize of a-

round £190,000.

 

Disgraced Australian snooker star Quentin Hann, bann-

ed for eight years over match fixing allegations, is also

in the field.

 

Hann resigned his membership of the World Profession-

al Billiards and Snooker Association just before the ban

and an order to pay £10,000 costs.

 

However, it does not prevent him taking part on pool

tour, which includes a stop at London's Excel Centre in

October.

 

Hann has been drawn in the same group as White.

 

Six-time world snooker finalist White faces a hectic period

if he reaches the North American Open final on.

 

He lost his coveted top-16 status at the end of last season

and must qualify for the opening ranking tournament of

the season, the Northern Ireland Trophy.

 

White's match is scheduled for 1600 BST on 31 July in Pre-

statyn - a little more than 24 hours after the final at the

Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

 

The top three from the 40 five-man pools go through to the

next round.

 

All 200 players are guaranteed a minimum prize of £1,000.

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