The 3rd edition of Joy Heyball Masters Super Tour begins in Shijiazhuang city, same host city and venue as the recently concluded Joy Cup Heyball Masters Division One Tour #3.
The event will feature 64 players comprising 32 foreign players competing alongside 32 top local Chinese players for the various monetary prizes.
The top six winners shall receive various monetary prizes in Chinese local currency Yuan renminbi (RMB) – first position 300,000 RMB, runner-up 120,000 RMB, 3rd place 60,000 RMB, 4th place 50,000 RMB, 5th & 6th places 40,000 RMB each.
Other prizes from the 7th to the 64th position are as follows: 7th & 8th place 35,000 RMB, 9th-12th 30,000 RMB, 13-16th 20,000 RMB,17-32th 15,000 RMB, and 33-64 10,000 RMB each.
Amongst the players vying for a share of the prize money include Kelly Fisher and Harvey Kenneth Chandler-Abbott from the UK, Veronike Ivannovskaia from Germany. Other Uk based players participating in the event who played in the Joy Cup Heyball Masters Div One include Gareth Potts and Charles Williams.
Bamidele Shehu and Aderibigbe Adegbite missed the opportunity to play in the Super Tour qualifiers because of inadequate sponsorship to cover the cost for the elongated period of stay required for both events, Division One and Super Tour.
ASENTV.TV communicated with both players via WhatsApp.
asentv.tv posed the question ‘How do you feel not playing in the Super Tour Qualifiers and main event?
‘Because Chinese players there are so good and are masters on the table.
That is why I did not think about playing’ says Aderibigbe Adegbite.
And Bamidele Shehu expressed his desire to play as that was the only way to improve,
‘I wish to play. That’s the only way for me to improve my game’ says Bamidele Shehu
Speaking about the need for more companies to invest in Billiard Sports especially Heyball, Joachim Idada, president Snooker and Pool Players Alliance noted that:
‘Getting more companies interested in investing in Billiard sports, Heyball, Snooker and Pool is a key objective of the Snooker and Pool Players Alliance. This is the only way we can promote the sport and make it professional thereby opening international opportunities to our players. With that we will be protecting their welfare’.
‘It takes approximately $6,000 (Six thousand Dollars) to underwrite the cost of sponsorship covering airline ticket, hotel, feeding, local transportation and training/practice for each participant or attendee in international events. The Alliance is open to partnership with companies interested in youth development and empowerment. We have created a platform that is linked to the biggest and most financially rewarding circuit in Billiard sports.’
The Snooker and Pool Alliance in partnership with FIJI Ventures Limited, Nigeria country representative to Joy Billiard Sports Promotion Company China organizes the Joy Heyball (formerly Chinese Eightball Pool) Tournament. FIJI Ventures Limited signed an agreement with Joy Billiards to organize five tournaments under the brand name Joy Billiards Eight Ball Tournaments to serve as Nigeria Qualifiers for the Joy Cup Heyball Masters Division One that holds in China annually.
Matches will be played on the premium Top quality 9ft Q8+ Joy Billiards Table. Heyball (Formerly Chinese 8 Ball Pool) is the most popular version of Pool in China. It is played using the big size glossy Aramith ball with all balls of uniform size and weight.
Heyball was introduced into Nigeria in October 2020 when FIJI Ventures Limited signed an agreement with Joy Billiards Sports Promote Company as their country representative. The agreement stipulated that 5 tournament under the brand name Joy Heyball Masters Nigeria Qualifier (formerly Joy Chinese 8 Ball Tour) be organized annually with the winner of each event required to travel to participate in the Joy Cup Heyball Masters Division One Tour.
