All eyes are on Blackpool this weekend, as the UK’s leading amateur pool players head north for rounds three and four of the 2023 Ultimate Pool Challenger Series.

Ending 2022 as a quarter-finalist in the World Masters, CAM sponsored Richard Gifford, has been reflecting on his most recent performance when the Ultimate Pool season commenced in January this year.

“Ultimate Pool rounds one and two went well. I played well, finishing in the last sixty four of both. At this level it’s all about the race to the six. You don’t always get the chances you need to win.”

“I am playing well at the moment. I’ve been playing regularly with local tour players. All you can do is put in the practice and hope to get some decent breaks. If you don’t get the visits to the table, and your competitor is clearing up straight from the break, that’s when it’s the most infuriating. So often it comes down to the break. The run of the ball – you need it on your side.”

Unlike the break, Gifford’s goal remains consistent, finish in the top sixteen and earn promotion to the 2024 professional ranks.

“As always, I will somewhat be relying on lady luck!”

Chris Allen has been promoted to the new role of Group General Manager at CAM.  He will be responsible for realising the company’s business strategy to harness the full potential of the development team to deliver a simplified, more intuitive technical architecture for customers.

With the support of his management team, Chris will lead a programme of investment focussing on both customer experience and CAM’s technical roadmap, strengthening its position as the market leader in digital solutions for the tyre industry.

Chris originally joined CAM in October 2015 as an account manager and has swiftly risen through the ranks, becoming head of product & people in 2021.

CAM Director Mark Styles says of the promotion, “This new position formalises a role that Chris has been undertaking for some time and the directors are keen to fully harness and officially recognise his leadership position.  We have an excellent management team to support Chris and are genuinely excited to see CAM’s potential unfold under his leadership.”

Chris Allen adds, “The next 18 months at CAM will be especially exciting as we realign and develop our technical architecture to ensure we continue to anticipate and respond to our customers’ requirements now and in the future.”