Oamaru snooker player hoping for help

Jason Todd is hoping to attract sponsorship to allow him to improve his ranking in snooker. Photo...
Jason Todd is hoping to attract sponsorship to allow him to improve his ranking in snooker. Photo by Sally Rae.
Young Oamaru snooker player Jason Todd says there are many opportunities in the sport but he cannot afford to take advantage of them.

Todd (24), who is heading to Auckland this weekend for the New Zealand snooker championships, is ranked 18th in the country.

The father of three young children and a technician at North Otago Dispensary, he is hoping to attract sponsorship to help further him in the sport.

He estimated it would cost about $2500 for the week in Auckland.

Todd, who will be North Otago's only representative at the championships, was ranked 11th after last year's national championships.

However, he could not afford to travel to the many tournaments in the North Island, which would have helped him gain experience.

It will be his fourth New Zealand championships and he has also competed overseas several times, including the under-21 world championships in Latvia and the world championships in Ireland.

Todd began playing about 16 years ago, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

He loved the sport, although he admitted it could be frustrating.

"There's just always so much more to learn . . . always something you can work and improve on," he said.

He won the City of Invercargill open last month and got beaten in the quarter-final at the South Island championships in Oamaru at Queen's Birthday weekend.

He expected a tough field in Auckland and, if he could get in the last 16, he would be "pretty happy".

 

Add a Comment