17-year-old Justin Slater made history Saturday night as the youngest player to win the World Crokinole Championship. He edged three-time World Champion Brian Cook in a third round tie-breaker on the last shot of the third game recording five 20's for the win.

Justin, who placed twenty-third overall in singles competition last year and third with his father, Fred, in last year's doubles competition, has quickly advanced through the National Crokinole Association tour of tournaments this year. He was co-winner with Ray Beierling of Dorchester for the most points in the 2009-2010 season. Justin also won the St. Jacobs and Hamilton tournaments.

Many who have seen them play knew that the Tavistock tournament would be the ultimate challenge between Brian and Justin.

And they didn't disappoint the crowd. Shooting back-to-back 20's throughout their games, Justin recorded seven 20's in one game. Intense concentration on the part of both players only heightened the suspense as Justin noted he didn't know his last shot was the winner until the points were totalled.

"Brian is by far the most intimidating opponent," Justin said. Comments throughout the game went unnoticed as each player was in their own zone of concentration, and tough to break.

Justin began playing competitively in 2008 and improved his game immensely after switching shooting fingers. He is the youngest son of Fred and Anna Slater of Toronto. He will be attending Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the fall where he is enrolled in the Bachelor of Science program.

Brian Cook explained that "even though he (Justin) is fairly new to the big tournaments, he's shown an ability to play well when he needs to. He's certainly got all the tools to be a very good player for a long time."

The National Crokinole Association has been responsible for creating new challengers in this year's championship. The group sponsors tournaments within the clubs in Exeter, Waterloo, London, St. Jacobs, Hamilton, Kawartha and begin their next season with the World Crokinole Championship in Tavistock.

"The standard of play overall just keeps getting better and better," said Brian Cook. "There's a very fine line these days between making it to the finals or finishing well back."

Three of this year's top four players were from the Toronto Club which was formed two years ago. Eric Miltenburg, Derek Hale and others convened the club and many of its members "have gotten really good, really fast," said Brian who is a member there mentoring Justin. Eric Miltenburg, Toronto placed fourth and John Conrad of Milverton was in third place.

More than 320 players participated in this year's event at the Tavistock and District Recreation Centre filling 500 spots in singles, doubles and cue play. Tavistock's Wayne Schultz won the cue singles category while the team of Paul Sorley and Carl Litt of Kitchener won the cue doubles category. Brothers Jason Beierling of Varna and Ray Beierling of Dorchester took home their sixth doubles championship. They earned the titles in 2009, 2008, 2007, 2000 and 1999.

First-time participants Ian Arnup of Haliburton and son Joe Arnup of Toronto captured the recreational doubles championship while Kyle Vaillancourt of Penetanguishene was the recreational singles champion.

Coe Miltenburg of Hamilton was the junior champion and Emma Hosken of Brampton was the intermediate winner.

Winner of the draw for the crokinole board this year was Laurence Georgiou, Marthaville, Ontario.

Players this year came from as far away as Scotland, P.E.I., B.C. and Quebec, as well as U.S. states such as Michigan, North Carolina, District of Columbia, Maryland, Kentucky and Maine.
 

 
© 2008 World Crokinole Championship™, Tavistock, Ontario, Canada