GRAND HOTEL N’ELIYA SNOOKER TOURNAMENT ON APRIL 27 AND 28
The annual Grand Hotel snooker tournament conducted by Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya which is to be fought out for the Deshabandu George Ondaatjie trophy is scheduled to take place on April 27 and 28’
The tournament which coincides with the April Festive season of Nuwara Eliya will be the last of the sporting activities to be held in conjunction with other sports like horse racing, boat races, tennis tournament etc, which have been completed.
The tournament which began in 2009 has had an enormous response from the top cueists of Sri Lanka where over 100 entries have been received every year since its inception. Palaka Perera General Manager of Grand Hotel stated that this time out, there has been tremendous response and for the first time in the history of the tournament we have received over 150 entries.
But unfortunately we had to disappoint some of them as we could not accommodate all the entries. The number of entries were too much to handle on one billiard table at the Grand Hotel and we have spoken to St Andrews Hotel and the tournament will be conducted concurrently at the Grand Hotel and St Andrews Hotel billiard table with the final scheduled to be played at Grand Hotel.
However with most of the top ranking cueists billed to take part in the tournament there is no doubt that it’s going to be a challenging and stiff competition. He further stated that Hatton National Bank has played a big role in helping us to conduct the tournament that was a success in the past and this time again they have come forward as the main sponsor for the fifth successive year.
Tikiri Kobbekaduwa Governor of the Central Province and a great supporter of the cue game has generously donated the prize money for the winner of this year’s tournament and this is the third successive year that he has come forward to donated a cash prize for the winner and will be the chief guest at the prize giving ceremony which is scheduled to be held on April 28.
The preliminary round of matches is scheduled to be worked off on April 27 and 28 morning. Last year Sri Lanka’s reigning national billiard champion K.H. Sirisoma of Sri Lanka Ports Authority emerged the champion defeating Prasanna Pushpakumara of YMBA in the final.
The Winner of the Tournament would receive the Deshabandu George Ondaatjie Challenge Trophy plus Rs.50,000/= in cash, trophy and a certificate while the first runner up will receive a cash prize of Rs. 30,000/- and a trophy with the second and third runner up will also receive a cash prize and certificates.