Held at the Hornby Workingmen’s Club, Christchurch 16-17 August 2008:

Wellington cueist Harry Haenga continued his successful season with a resounding 3 nil victory over Canterbury’s Mark Canovan in the final of the 2008 Canterbury Open.

Haenga, the reigning national champion and the New Zealand number one ranked player, struggled through section play losing 2/0 to Gordon Fitzgerald.  Canovan also struggled in what was only his second tournament of the year, dropping three frames during the qualifying rounds.

Canterbury’s Kelly Pritchard topped the qualifying and showed good form throughout the early knockout stages too.  Pritchard struck a determined Canovan in the Semi-Finals and was unable to sustain pressure after taking the first frame, going down 3/1 to the two-time national champion.

Haenga also dropped the first frame of his Semi-Final against Danny Ryan of Southland.  Haenga was in position to take the opening frame but suffered a kick which allowed Ryan back to the table – an opportunity he seized.  Haenga regained his composure in the next frame and never relented, taking the match 3/1.

Earlier in the Quarter-Final stages Pritchard acounted for Southland’s Shannon Swain 3/1, Canovan made a tournament high break of 78 in eliminating another former national champion, Peter de Groot.  Ryan battled back from 1-2 down to oust Mike Thorpe 3/2 and Haenga replicated that deed in defeating Gary Gillard, also of Canterbury.

Jim Ryan of Southland claimed the Plate with victory over Grahame Nobbs, whilst Barry Ede took out the Flyte Final with a 2/0 win over New Zealand’s to women’s players, Ramona Belmont of Auckland.

Last Sixteen: K Pritchard bt A Gill 3/1, S Swain bt S Church 3/1, P de Groot bt R Belmont 3/1, M Canovan bt G Fitzgerald 3/0, M Thorpe bt A Robertson 3/1, D Ryan bt B Ede 3/0, H Haenga bt B Jones 3/0, G Gillard bt S Alderson 3/2.
Quarter-Finals: K Pritchard bt S Swain 3/1, M Canovan bt P de Groot 3/1, D Ryan bt M Thorpe 3/2, H Haenga bt G Gillard 3/2.
Semi-Finals: M Canovan bt K Pritchard 3/1, H Haenga bt D Ryan 3/1.
Final: H Hanega bt M Canovan 3/0
Highest Break: M Canovan (78)