Stan James is pleased to announce the creation of The Stan James Canadian 9-Ball Tour.

Stan James, the leader in online sports wagering worldwide, is expanding their longtime association with pocket billiards. Beginning in October with five events in the provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Quebec and highlighted by the final showcase event in April of 2006: the SML Entertainment Open.

Stan James Managing Director Peter Fisher states: "We are very pleased to be entering the Canadian Market. We see 9-Ball pool as a terrific avenue to accomplish our initiatives, as pool is a sport that is growing immensely in popularity all over the world. Stan James is excited to have this opportunity to break new ground in Canada."

Each event will carry a prize fund of over $15,000 and will offer a guaranteed first prize of $5,000 to the winner. The competitors will also garner ranking points in each event which will be carried over to the end of the season with the top two players attaining berths to represent Canada in next summer's WPA World 9-Ball Championships. This tour has been sanctioned by the WPA through the Canadian Billiards and Snooker Association (CBSA) and will be organized and run by Jim Wych.

Schedule of events

The first tournament is scheduled for Pool Paradise in Waterloo, Ontario October 22-23.

The second tour event will be taking place at Stix Billiards in Calgary, Alberta from November 19 - 20.

The third tour event will take place in February of 2006 at the Q Club in Edmonton, Alberta.

The Fourth event will be in eastern Canada and scheduled for March in Valleyfield, Quebec.

The final event of the season will be the SML Entertainment Open played at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta in mid April of 2006. All dates will be confirmed well in advance.

Competitor Information

Participation in the tour is limited to Canadian citizens.

Each tour stop will be capped at 64 competitors. Early entries are advisable, as these events will fill up very quickly.

For all relevant details regarding this tour and any other information contact Jim Wych at (905) 469-8303.