Hanna Kwon Wins Inagural Women's Tour Stop

May 26, 2014

Winner Hanna Kwon photo by Edwidge Cavanna
This weekend Le Skratch Brossard played host for the inaugural and long anticipated Billard Feminin du Canada tour stop. Edwidge Cavanna, player and promoter, recognized the need for a women's tour and made it so. Using her contacts from the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) this tour is sanctioned and its players will have the opportunity to win a pro tour card.
18 players showed up to kick off the tour which boasts $500 added for each event. It was apparent after Hanna Kwon survived a double hill match against Venus Belanger that she was going to be tough to beat. After this match, Kwon gained her confidence and cruised through the Winners bracket, winning 7-3 against Farla Salmanovitch in her next match. Kwon then went on to win 7-5 against Marina Linguerri and 7-3 against Christiane Boulay to earn her place in the final.
Kwon and Linguerri playing on Billiard Quebec stream
 
Linguerri, who is no stranger to the pressure of big tournaments herself, maintained her focus and returned from the losers side bracket to earn her rematch with Kwon. However Kwon was not phased by waiting nearly 24 hours to play her final and earned herself a convincing 7-3 win and $350. I caught up with Kwon after her winner side final match, who drove down from Toronto with fellow player Suzanne Peters. When asked if they would take advantage of wining the pro card they both responded, "Hell ya." This was a successful debut for the tour and only promises to get better, as bigger fields are expected in future tournaments as the tour continues to grow.
All the information about this tour can be found at the Billard Feminin Du Canada website and at their Facebook page. Edwidge Cavanna is fully bilingual so feel free to contact her in both official languages. The next tournament will be hosted by Dooley's Valleyfeild on July 15th.
Local Round Up
Two players from Cornwall, who play out of my home room Rack-M-Up Billiards, Louanne Leger and Corrine Johnson, made the trip east to take their shot  at the title. Johnson, who is well known on the women's circuit and who as had success in the states, has taken a break from pool these past few years to raise her family. However she still has that winning instinct as she fought off Leger in her opening match after being down 4-3 to go on to win 7-5. Johnson lost her second match to Marie-France Blanchette, who was in fine form winning 7-1. From there Johnson went on to grind out the loser side bracket for a few rounds eventually losing in the 7/8 place,  just out of the money.
Leger lining up a combo
 
1 - Hanna Kwon-$350
2 - Marina Linguerri-$200
3 - Christiane Boulay-$120
4 - Farla Salmanovitch-$50
5-6 - Marie-France Blanchette - Cathy Verret -$25