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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Couple honored for helping save drive-by victim's life ... Burn on Lower Table Rock will give native species a chance to return ... 'A kidney to spare' ... Couple honored for helping save drive-by victim's life ... Burn on Lower Table Rock will give native species a chance to return ... 'A kidney to spare' ... BILLIARDS Pool power Some of region's top female billiards players to gather for tournament Comment By Dan Jones Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2015 at 7:42 PM By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2015 at 7:42 PM --> Ladies 8-Ball Regional Championship WHAT: A double-elimination, first-to-five-victories contest using Billiards Congress of America rules. At least 35-40 players are expected. Spectators are ... » Read more X Ladies 8-Ball Regional Championship WHAT: A double-elimination, first-to-five-victories contest using Billiards Congress of America rules. At least 35-40 players are expected. Spectators are invited to watch. WHERE: Rack ‘Em Billiards (40 North Riverside Ave., Medford). WHEN: Saturday and Sunday. » Social News Linda Carter recently visited a pool hall in Eureka, California, and slapped down a few bucks to play in a 30-person billiards tournament. Carter’s nickname is, naturally, Wonder Woman, but not solely as a salute to the superhero. The Medford resident has special powers as a pool player, powers that were unknown to the group of amateurs surrounding her that day. They found out, rather swiftly. As her opponents played the shots directly in front of them, Carter was planning three and four balls ahead. She walked out with the first-place cash. Easy money. “They didn’t know what hit ‘em,” she recalls with a playful laugh. There will be few surprises when Carter and a collection of other top pool players in the region gather to play in the inaugural Ladies 8-Ball Regional Championship, set for Saturday and Sunday at Rack ‘Em Billiards in Medford (40 North Riverside Ave.). At least 35-40 competitors are expected, Carter says. The entry fee is $25 with a $10 green fee. Entries must be received by Friday, with a $10 late fee being assessed for those paying on the day of the event. The double-elimination, first-to-five-victories contest will use Billiards Congress of America rules. A blind draw will determine bracketing, meaning the most skilled players could potentially meet up as soon as the first round. Those who are defeated move to a B bracket, and they will attempt to work their way back to an eventual meeting with the A-side champion. The purse should be around $1,800, Carter says, with $500 added by Rack ‘Em Billiards. The payout for first place will likely be somewhere in the range of 30 to 45 percent of the pot, with cash rewards expected for a large portion of the field. An additional tournament will kick off for those who are eliminated. A practice round and some meetings will take place Friday. The finals are Sunday. Spectators are invited to watch the action. Carter has used her wealth of experience and background in pool to gather the group and organize the prizes. She’s respected in the industry as the former founder and president of a tour and as a league, tournament and pro circuit competitor. “I love what (Carter) is doing for pool,” says Kim Jones, a former tour member and daily player in Washington. “Whenever I get the chance to support women and support pool, I’m all for it.” Carter, the house pro at Rack ‘Em Billiards, has won thousands of dollars on the felt and competed overseas, but is just as excited to play the role of tournament director. “This is a very special event,” she says. Players to watch include Seattle’s Jones and Cindy Doty of Kelso, Washington. Those two were part of a four-person team that won a title at the BCL Pool League National Championships earlier this month in Las Vegas. Locals who could compete for the crown include Kris Robbins, Linda Knight, Laurie Kinney, Vickie Anders and Chelsie Dent. Carter, who is an account executive, has sweetened the pot by securing donations, including autographed memorabilia from pros and a pool cue from Viking worth $600. A raffle-ticket drawing for the cue takes place on the final day. “Linda is a fantastic promoter and gets out there and works her butt off,” Doty says. Billiards is growing in popularity, Carter says. She notes the show The Hustlers on TruTV and a segment featuring a pool player on the TV show Mississippi Men. Pool has also been seen on the ABC show Wife Swap. Sometimes the sport is portrayed as shady, but Carter says that it is classy with high-quality competitors. The women of pool can be kind, and they can also be tough, she adds. “Women lend a different side of fierce to the competition,” she says. “People expect them to be all mushy and gushy and sweet, and they have that nurturing side. We’ll say, ‘Hey, I like your shoes,’ but when we’re in battle, it’s on.” The women couldn’t ask for a better venue: Rack ‘Em was featured as one of the top 10 billiard rooms in the nation by Billiards Digest. It is now an over-21 establishment. Food is also available for order. Jones hopes to see the inaugural Ladies 8-Ball Regional Championship thrive. “I’d like to see it go on for many years,” she says. “Hopefully this event will just be one of many and it will continue to grow. These events are important to keep the sport alive.” For more information or to register, email [email protected]. Reach reporter Dan Jones at 541-776-4499, or email [email protected]. Find him online at twitter.com/danjonesmt By Dan Jones Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 18, 2015 at 7:42 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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