Top 12 Round 3 – Rob Wood upsets favourite

Round 3 of the Netts Top 12 “Grand Prix” tournament saw the usual suspects return to Earls Colne Recreation Club. It was however two new players who caused the major upsets in the ‘A’ Section. Ipswich based NETTS player Rob Wood overcame Number 1 seed Nikki Davison and fellow club mate Fred Evans in a tough opening group. Fellow debutant Jan Fuller excelled in winning her group, with an excellent win over Victor Chan (Black Notley). In the knockout stage regular NETTS visitor Trevor Carter came between Wood’s first place and Fuller’s deserved third spot. Ipswich based Antonio Beccles took fourth place.
In the ‘B’ section Black Notley’s Takunda Nerutanga remained undefeated throughout the tournament to take the top spot. Only the runner-up, NETTS Chairman Peter Hardy took a game from Nerutanga. Debutant Gary Eames from Colchester and NETTS Michael Goodchild were third and fourth respectively. NETTS juniors Charlie Lunn and Mia Charles produced one of the closest matches of the day with Lunn winning an epic battle 14-12 in the fifth game to take 5th place.
Once again local junior players dominated the ‘C’ section Grand Prix which was played earlier in the day. Charlie Lunn, Charles Calisin and Brodie Henrici triumphed in the group stages. After a number of close matches the former two contested the final with Lunn taking this months competition. Micky Abbott, representing the over 55’s club, did well to take fourth place. Rudi Hooper and Joe Ferguson also impressed to finish 5th and 6th respectively.
The next NETTS Top 12 GRAND PRIX including the Premier Section is on Saturday 16th February.