The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A teenager from Fleet is making waves as one of the rising stars in the sport of pool.
Chloe Payne (18) reached a plate semi-final at the World Women’s Snooker Open last weekend at Birmingham.
It follows on from reaching a last 16 finish in the International Pool Association World Championship at the first time of asking and she managed to get to the quarter finals of the plate competition at the Ultimate Pool event in Blackpool.
One particularly impressive finish in a frame against Emma Cunningham in an Ultimate Pool event went viral.
At the weekend, Payne won two out of three matches in her group before being beaten by Emma Parker.
Payne’s loss put her in the Challenger competition where she beat Nicola Oakes 4-1, came back from 3-0 down to beat Geraldine Champanay 4-3 then lost 4-3 to Emma Palin in the quarter finals.
Dad Mark said: “Chloe had a great run and played some really good stuff.
“She has had a 129 break in snooker practice and is set to feature again in the Ultimate Pool tour.”
Mark taught her pool while living at the Anglia Motel which the family runs.
“She started from an early age, around five or six, and then I took her playing snooker at seven before she could even cue properly as she couldn’t reach the table.
“I knew then she needed a snooker table because she potted some amazing balls, so for her 16th birthday I got her one from my cousin Paul Woods, whose dad Dick played in the Holbeach League and who sadly passed away last year.
“Thanks to them Chloe had her own table to practice on and she started playing eight hours a day, five days a week.
“In no time she got a 56 break then a 96.
“She was really upset at missing the black but I told her she shouldn’t be as some people have been playing all their lives and not made a break that big.
“About an hour later she made a 108 break with another 109 the next day followed a week later with a break of 129 missing the final black for the total clearance!
“Chloe would like to thank Ashley Thomson of Bryan Thompson windows for sponsoring her on the Ultimate Pool ladies’ tour it means a lot as accommodation is expensive as is entering all these competitions.
“She’d also like to thank Bryan Corr at The Snooker Centre in Bourne which allows Chloe to train and provides sponsorship.
“She might have a sponsorship logo space available for next year on the Ultimate Pool so if anyone would like to promote their business feel free to get in touch.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring Payne can email markypayne76@icloud.com
