Women’s Pool – Courtenay competitors Rose Kantor and Jason Rushton led a strong Vancouver Island contingent into action at the fifth annual B.C. 8-ball championships last week (Feb. 10-14) in Penticton.

Players from all over Canada attended the Canadian Cue Sports Championship event. The youngest was 13-year-old Darienne Drake from Campbell River and the oldest was Bill, 87, from Penticton. Drake was matched up against Kantor in her first match. The match was tied 3-3 on the hill and Drake won it, putting Kantor on the B side. She fought all the way up the B side to take third place overall in the ladies bracket. Im so proud of myself to put Courtenay on the map and bringing home a third-place trophy and winning a spot to go to the Western Championships April 28 to May 2 in Calgary, Kantor said.

I had to take out a master player Mary Rayner from Calgary to get there, but this was the best learning experience for me and I look forward to next year. Finishing second was Andrea Wilson from Victoria and first went to Maryanne McConnell from Port Alberni.

In mens singles Rushton finished ninth in the B Division. Deb Williams and Joe Orel from Oceanview Billiards in Campbell River teamed up in Scotch doubles and took fourth.

Also out of Campbell River, Geoff Comerford finished seventh in the B Division, Peter Drake finished third in the B Division and tied for fifth in 9-ball.