IPA European Championships Review
The eagerly anticipated 2025 IPA Tour season got underway at the ever popular Grand Hotel, juts on the outskirts of Newcastle, and didn’t’ fail to disappoint those who attended, and the those who watched the fantastic action online.
With the introduction of the new Pro and Elite players together with the new formats, the excitement and buzz at the venue was tangible, with everyone looking forward to the new challenges. One thing that didn’t change, was the fantastic camaraderie between the players off the table, whilst on the table, it was down to the serious business.
The main event as usual is the Professional event, and it’s fair to say that the strength in the Pro ranks this season is unprecedented. With the newly qualified Professionals including the likes of Geo Edgar, Wayne Fryer and Mark McAllister, together with the many Pros returning to the IPA ranks – Scott Gillespie, Luke Sanges and Dave McNamara amongst the many – whoever would lift the trophy Saturday night, would have fully earned their money!
Round 1 would provide it’s usual array of surprise results, with both World finalists – Michael Rhodes and Ben Davies left to rue what might have been, together with Jake Newlove and Gav Robinson as the other notable names who would have to wait for another day.
By the time we had reached the quarter finals, Pro Number 1 Mark Boyle, former World Champions Clint I’Anson, Marc Farnsworth, Adam Davis, Liam Dunster and Gareth Hibbott had all been eliminated, and the proverbial ‘bloodbath’ we were all expecting, was turning into a reality.
A rejuvenated Craig Marsh ousted Boyles conqueror McNamara, but was beaten in the semis by Sanges, who would take on Rob Wilson in the final, after impressive victories against McAllister, then Gillespie in the semi finals.
The final proved to be one match too many for Sanges, who by his own admission was running on fumes after an energy draining two days, however Wilson was simply superb, demonstrating skill as well as coolness under the most intense pressure to lift his first IPA Pro title and become European Champion, by 10 frames to 7.
In the Elite Ladies section, similar to the Men’s, the strength in depth has gone up a few levels with the returning, and newly crowned IPA Ladies World Champion Emma Cunningham back in the IPA fold, joined by the vastly experienced Shona Lucas and the Ladies Amateur Number 1 from 2024 – Alexandra Cunha.
Both Cunningham and Lucas would show their quality and made their way to a blockbuster clash in the semi finals. The bottom half of the draw would see a rampant Jenny Lawson take on an equally impressive Kaitlyn Kennedy – 3 of the 4 semi finalists representing Scotland.
Lucas edged out Cunningham 7-5, whilst Lawson brushed aside the challenge from Kennedy with easy 7-1 – both players would be taking part in their first Elite final, and the stage was set.
In a superb match, it was close all the way until Lawson secured her first ‘major’ coming through 7-5 to claim the title of Elite Ladies European Champion – a superb achievement and finally delivering on the talent and experience she possesses in abundance. For Lucas, there is no doubt she will be at the business end of many Elite events this year.
Running alongside the Pro and Elite competitions were the Opens and Amateurs in both mens and ladies, and all were keenly contested. The Open events allow the Amateurs to test them selves against the Pros/Elite and ‘giant killing’ is usually the norm.
In the Men’s Open, everywhere you looked in the draw there was a match of note. Seeds were dropping like flies but at the quarter final stage, 6 of the 8 spots were filled by players from the Pro ranks. The tie of the round was undoubtedly Mark Boyle versus Gareth Hibbott – a match worthy of any final, let alone a quarter final, and it didn’t disappoint, with Hibbott edging to a 7-5 victory. His run can to a sudden end at the hands of Liam Dunster – generally regarded as being back to his best, as the 7-0 semi final scoreline suggested.
Going about his business in the bottom half of the draw was Jake Newlove, who joined Dunster in the final with a hard fought 7-6 victory over another member of the Lucas family – Andy.
In the final, Dunster was always ahead and eased to a 7-2 win to lift the trophy and get his season off to a winning start. He could be the man to catch Boyle this year and not many would bet against it.
The Ladies Open was another very keenly contested competition, with the usual array of surprise scorelines and both finalists from the Elite event were sent packing at the last 32 stage.
Kaitlyn Kennedy again impressed and went one stage further than the Elite event, taking her place in the final, where she would meet England’s Lisa Reynolds, who had taken the scalps of Cunningham and Burchell on the way.
Reynold’s form continued throughout the final as she overpowered her compatriot to win convincingly 6 frames to 1 to lift her first IPA title, and on this showing, will be a force to be reckoned with during the season.
The Amateur events are very difficult to predict, with the usual array on known talent, mixed in with the newcomers, with all players looking to secure a place in either the Pro or Elite for the 2026 season, which makes the competition pretty intense.
The Men’s Amateur event final was contested by IPA Amateur series winner Kieth Robertson, and Pete Fisher, who had both come through the 128 strong, player field. Both has also come through deciding frame matches on their journey to the final – such are the fine margins between winning and losing. And they didn’t disappoint, as the final went to a decider which Robertson manged to take 8-7, despite a valiant comeback from Fisher, who was always behind.
In the Ladies Amateur, Kate Wringe secured her maiden IPA title with a comfortable 7-3 victory against Laura Jones to get her 2025 campaign off to a flying start.
And so the first Tour event of the season is in the history books, with the next edition coming up in May at another popular venue – Coventry – we will see you there!