CAM Sponsored Richard Gifford Heads to Blackpool for Ultimate Pool Events 5 & 6
All eyes are on Blackpool this weekend, as the UK’s leading amateur pool players head north for events 5 & 6 of the Ultimate Pool Challenger Series. Having ranked an impressive 9th out of 256 competing at the European Championship earlier in the year, CAM sponsored Richard Gifford, has been reflecting on his previous recent Ultimate Pool performance in Birmingham.
“The last Ultimate Pool weekend in Birmingham didn’t go as well as I hoped – certainly the singles. I had two first-round exits. Overall I played ok, but made one or two mistakes. You get punished for mistakes at this level.”
Gifford fared better in the Ultimate Pool 3-player team championship.
“I was lucky enough to be paired with Stephen Ellis and Dylan Mitchell. They’re really great players. We got through to the quarter-finals but lost out to the eventual winners. It was great fun and a real opportunity to get to know some of the other players that I’ve previously never played with or even spoken to!”
In an effort to change his fortune, Gifford has been doing a different type of preparation for the penultimate weekend of Ultimate Pool.
“I’ve had a month off pool and regrouped. I had a bad neck and needed to recover. I also used that time to have my practice table fitted with a new cloth. It’s the same cloth that’s used on the Ultimate Pool tables - Strachan Superfine Grey. It’s faster and has hopefully given me the best preparation for the coming weekend.”
Rested, recovered and well practised, Gifford’s goal and strategy remain the same for events 5 and 6 - finish in the top 16 and earn promotion to the 2023 professional ranks.
“My game plan stays the same. Enjoy it and not put too much pressure on myself. We’ll soon see how it goes!”
Catch Richard Gifford and all the live baize action:
In-person at the Grand Hotel, Blackpool on Friday 24th to Sunday 26th June 2022.
On FreeSports TV.