Belgian Open Champions Crowned in Bruges
The sixth edition of the Belgian Disability Snooker Open was staged last weekend with champions crowned across seven classification groups.
The popular event was held at The Trickshot Snooker Club in Bruges with 47 cueists from seven countries competing for glory.
BEAUMONT GOES BACK-TO-BACK IN BRUGES
Dave Beaumont defeated Tony Southern 3-1 in the Group 1+2 final to successfully defend his Belgian Open crown.
The 57-year-old Englishman, who last month rose to world number one by reaching the World Championship final in Thailand, was in fine form as he dropped just a single frame across seven matches.
Bruges was the site of Beaumont’s first ever ranking event success twelve months ago and he made an outstanding start to the defence of his crown by whitewashing Matthew Lester, Kurt Deklerck, Patrick Puttemans, Southern and Kenny Vangampelaere to top the group.
A further 2-0 win against Puttemans then saw Beaumont set up a final meeting with Southern after he downed Deklerck by the same scoreline in the semi-finals.
Beaumont made a strong start to the title match by taking a 2-0 lead and, despite a brief rally from his opponent, he was able to secure the fifth ranking title of his career by a 3-1 scoreline.
HULL WINS MAIDEN TITLE
Peter Hull won the first ranking event title of his career by defeating Joe Hardstaff 3-1 to win the Group 3 crown.
The 38-year-old had only previously reached one ranking event final but was the outstanding performer in his classification group last weekend as he took home to the title.
Hull kicked off the event with a 2-1 win over Kit Kennedy before impressively whitewashing both the world number one Kal Mattu and number two Hardstaff to top the group in style.
The final saw him face fellow countryman Hardstaff once more and Hull stormed into a 2-0 lead to move one away from victory.
He looked set to complete another whitewash victory when holding a healthy lead in frame three but an excellent clearance from Hardstaff under pressure saw him steal the frame on the last black and reduce the deficit.
However, Hull held his nerve to get over the line in the next frame and complete a memorable victory.
GIBSON RETURNS TO THE SUMMIT
Carl Gibson has returned to the world number one position in Group 4 after defeating Daniel Blunn 3-2 in a dramatic final.
His ninth WDBS title sees him continue a tremendous 2025 which featured an historic World Championship victory in Thailand last month.
The Englishman dropped just a single frame in a group stages where he overcame Yannick Piscador, Oliver Guyan and Olivier Biernaux.
A Group 4 tournament high break of 56 then helped Gibson advance through the semi-finals by beating fellow countryman Steve Cartwright 3-0.
World Snooker Tour (WST) Hall of Fame inductee Daniel Blunn was the opponent in the title match and he led both 1-0 and 2-1 in the best-of-five frame contest.
Gibson was able to force a deciding frame and, as the last match to conclude on the Sunday, all eyes in The Trickshot Snooker Club were on the two players as it came down to the final balls.
Blunn looked set to make an excellent clearance to take the title but, needing only a tricky pink along the bottom cushion, it rattled in the jaws of the pocket.
It eventually came down the final black and, although both players had chances to pot it, it was Gibson who was ultimately able to do so to earn a memorable victory.
DEBUT GLORY FOR VAN WASSENHOVE
Cedric Van Wassenhove beat Dave Bolton 3-1 in the Group 5 final to win the Belgian Open on home soil.
The 46-year-old Belgian was competing in his first ever WDBS event and made an impressive start as he lost just two frames in his five group stage matches – including a notable whitewash win against world number one Bolton.
A top break of 45 then saw Van Wassenhove bounce back from losing the opening frame to Iceland’s Brynjar Valdimarsson to book his place in the final as a 3-1 victor.
Van Wassenhove and Bolton would renew their group stage rivalry in the title match as the two players showed off some excellent snooker when it mattered the most.
The Belgian took the opener with a break of 63 and, despite Bolton hitting back with a break of 40 in the second, Van Wassenhove was able to also take that frame and move one away from victory.
Another half-century, this time a 58, saw Bolton reduce the deficit but Van Wassenhove took the fourth frame to secure the victory and a maiden title in his home country.
HASLAM HITS THE HEIGHTS
Matthew Haslam defeated James Hart 3-0 in the Group 6 final to win the Belgian Open title for the first time in his career.
The 20-year-old Englishman showed why his is the current world number one in his group as dropped just two frames across the weekend to seal his ninth WDBS title.
A clean sweep of group stage victories set up a semi-final contest against Ryan Pinnington.
Pinnington performed impressively as he compiled the Group 6 tournament high break of 59 in the second frame but it wasn’t enough as Haslam once again showed his class to run out a 3-1 winner.
In the title match he met former British Open champion Hart, who had come from 2-1 down in the semi-finals to beat world number two Leroy Williams in a tense deciding frame.
Haslam’s fine form continued into the title match and he comfortably secured his maiden Belgian Open crown with a whitewash final victory.
O’BRIEN ON TOP IN BRUGES
Colvin O’Brien beat Ronnie Allen 3-1 in the Group 7 final to defend the Belgian Open crown that he won in Bruges 12 months ago.
The Irishman bounced back from the disappointment of a World Championship final loss last month in Thailand to pick up the fourth WDBS title of his career.
The 39-year-old, who remains the only player in history to make a century break in a WDBS tournament, stormed through the group stages with a trio of whitewash wins against Allen, Raymond Marsland and 15-year-old debutant Bjarne Piekema from the Netherlands.
Breaks of 44 and 37 saw O’Brien race into a 2-0 lead against 81-year-old Allen and, despite the Welshman taking the third frame to reduce the deficit, the man from Ireland proved to be a worthy champion as he secured a 3-1 victory to take home the gold medal.
DRENNAN DOES IT AGAIN
Luke Drennan whitewashed reigning world champion Kristof De Bruyn to win a second consecutive Belgian Open title in Bruges.
The success saw the 26-year-old continue an impressive season that had already seen him become the European champion and rise to the summit of the Group 8 world ranking list.
Drennan picked up a clean sweep of victories in the group stage as he impressively downed Jonathan Steggles, Lewis Knowles, Daniel Booth and De Bruyn to reach the knockout stages as group winner.
Despite losing the opening frame, a top break of 48 helped the Englishman to a 3-1 semi-final victory against a valiant Steggles to set up a second meeting with De Bruyn.
The Belgian had recently secured the World Championship title in Thailand but was unable to find the necessary form on this occasion as Drennan fired in breaks of 37, 30 and 47 to complete a 3-0 victory in style.
BOOTH WINS CHALLENGE CUP
Daniel Booth beat Christopher Woodward in the final of Sunday’s Challenge Cup event to win the title in Bruges.
The mixed event sees players who do not qualify for the knockout stages competing for glory and 16 competitors took part.
Group 8’s Booth picked up victories over Nigel Brasier, Bjarne Piekema and Mohammed Faisal Butt to reach the title match when he faced Group 6B’s Woodward.
The first two frames of the best-of-three final were shared but it was Booth who was able to dominate the decider to win it by a 52-9 scoreline and take the title back to England.
The WDBS would like to thank everyone at The Trickshot Snooker Club in Bruges, the referees and officials and all the players involved in the 2025 Belgian Open for ensuring it was a successful event.
The tour continues on 16-18 May with the 2025 Hull Open and entries remain open.
