Fleet’s Chloe Payne is celebrating her first major trophy after winning the plate competition at the Ultimate Pool Tour in Blackpool.
Payne beat Lucy Walker 5-3 in her opening group game but lost the other two 5-4 to Fran Calvert and Sue Fletcher respectively.
That put her into the plate where she beat Louise Sutton 4-0 in the first round and Jenny O’Loughlin 4-1 in the second.
She then overcame Laura Gillett 4-0 in the quarter-final and repeated that score to see off Emma Palin in the last four. Number 21 ranked Payne saved her best for last when she romped to a 5-0 victory over Miriam Clancy in the final to pick up 450 ranking points.
In February’s opening event, Payne had earned 1,000 points after topping her qualifying group with three straight wins. She then beat Nicola Bowns 5-2 in the round of 32 but went out 5-3 to Jodie Allen in the last 16.
The 19-year-old also finished third in the IPA World Pool Championships in Newcastle, where she beat No.1 seed and former world champion Deb Burchell 2-1 in the first round.
Payne went on to see off Welsh elite star Rachel Tucker 2-1 and Viv Ruscoe 2-0 before losing 2-1 to another elite player, Rhiannon Graham, in the semi-final to earn a bronze medal position.
Payne has been playing pool since she was six and is also competing on the women’s snooker tour. Chatteris-based champion Joe Perry has been coaching Payne, who is ranked 42nd in the world.
Her dad Mark, said: “Chloe was very happy to finally pick up her first trophy but needs that next step now.
“She has a good future ahead of her and hopefully it won’t be long until she’s on television.”
Payne thanked local firm Bryan Thompson Windows and Darren McCarthy at Legends Pool and Sports Bar in Wisbech for their sponsorship.
