World Disability Billiards And Snooker (WDBS)
WDBS is a body created in 2015 to give more people with disabilities the opportunity to play cue sports.
WDBS Website: https://www.wdbs.info/
The WDBS has been set up under the auspices of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), with guidance from Activity Alliance.
Since its formation the WDBS has successfully staged several snooker events for people with disabilities, including both open days and competitive tournaments.
Events are open to people with a range of physical, learning and sensory disabilities as set out within our classification system.
YouTube video below on World Disability Billiards And Snooker (WDBS)
WDBS Derby Open 2020 – Entry Open
Entries are now being accepted for the Derby Open which will return to the Cueball Derby for a fourth time from 15-17 May 2020.
One of our most long-standing events, the Derby Open will once begin with a Friday Open Day for people with all disabilities to come and try snooker under the guidance of WPBSA World Snooker coaches including lead coach Steve Rutter. There will also be a buffet provided early in the afternoon and opportunities to meet the WDBS team and ask any questions about the competition.
The weekend itself will then see competitive tournaments staged for deaf and visually impaired players (WDBS Classification Groups 7-8) from Saturday morning, with a Challenge Cup to be staged on Sunday for players who do not qualify for the knockout rounds.
In 2019 the event witnessed our biggest ever deaf entry with 27 Group 8 players taking part, joined also by a bumper 14 entries to the Group 7 competition.
WDBS Chairman Nigel Mawer
“Snooker and Billiards are among the few sports which can be played by anyone, regardless of age and gender, and the WDBS will give more chances to people with disabilities to meet up and play competitively. I would like to thank Activity Alliance (formerly EFDS) for their specialist advice as creating the correct framework at this early stage is vital to our international success.
The WPBSA’s Nigel Mawer is chairman of the body, with vice chairman Simon Berrisford, WPBSA World Snooker coach Bob Hill and tournament director Clive Brown also on the board.
“We aim to work with the international, regional and national governing body structure and in the longer term we would like to expand this out to community programmes. We would like to hear from any organisation or body that is willing to contribute to our sport’s growth in this area.”
World Snooker Federation
In 2017 World Disability Billiards and Snooker joined the new World Snooker Federation, the new International Federation for snooker which aims to bring together amateur and professional snooker worldwide.
Together both bodies will work to provide new opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in competitive, international tournaments for all.
VI Winners Crowned at Belgian Open
Another two-time winner was to be crowned in the Group 7 tournament for players with visual disabilities after Ireland’s Dylan Rees added the Belgian Open title to his victory at the Hull Open last November with a 3-0 success against Mike Gillespie.
The pair progressed to the final following a dramatic group stage which saw a play-off required to separate the top three players including Welshman Ronnie Allen, who each had finished with an identical record.
The final however would prove to be more one-sided as Rees, who had impressed during the group stage with an impressive break of 87 – the second-highest ever to have been recorded during a WDBS match – ran out a 3-0 winner to maintain his 100% record on the circuit so far.
