WC right on cue
KNYSNA - Local blackball pool player Darius Luiters returned home last week after a solid showing at the 2021 SA Blackball Championships in Johannesburg. The championships are being held at the pool club Billiard Café in Rivonia, Johannesburg, until Friday 3 September, having got underway on 21 August. The best players from across the country were taking part in both individual and team competitions that ran concurrently across the various divisions of the national championships.
Luiters not only competed as captain of the Western Cape U23 team, but also in the individual U23 division. The U23 division commenced on 24 August. In the individual competition Luiters left his best on the pool table and managed to win seven of his 20 games - three of which he won with break while he won four through forfeits gained. His performances secured him a solid 18th place.
When it came to the teams competition, Luiters and his teammates - Breyton Smith, Thomas Arries, and Michael and Bianca Steenkamp - put together a string of impressive performances in the initial stages to qualify for the semi-finals in second place.
Here they unfortunately lost to the eventual winners, Gauteng 1.
The team however still captured a bronze medal and returned home with their heads held high. "It was an amazing experience to be able to attend the national championships," Luiters said. "As captain I'm really proud of the team and the effort we all put in. It's a great result for us and we're more than happy with our performances."
Two more Knysna-based blackball pool players, Franklin van Rooyen and Tyran Jansen, are taking part in the SA Blackball Championships this week.