Race to the Crucible 2016: Live Blog

Crucible

It has all come down to this – the 2016 China Open is now underway in Beijing, following which the world’s top 16 players will be guaranteed to appear at the Crucible stages of next month’s World Championship.

For a summary of how the position stood prior to the Monday’s action, please read my comprehensive blog at WPBSA.com, or continue reading below for the very latest position as the week progresses:

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Bursting the Bubble

Crucible copy

So after 17 days, not to mention the eight days of qualifying beforehand at Ponds Forge, the World Championship is over for yet another year with Stuart Bingham’s unforgettable victory at the Crucible.

Click below for a round-up of my memories, thank yous and final thoughts on what has been Crucible 2015…

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World Title For Brilliant Bingham

Bingham4He came into the tournament as a 50/1 outsider with the bookmakers, but 38-year-old Stuart Bingham has tonight completed what must have at times felt like the impossible dream, by defeating Shaun Murphy 18-15 to win the 2015 World Championship here at the Crucible.

As well as a cheque for £300,000, Stuart becomes the 20th player to have won the World Championship here in Sheffield since 1977 and the oldest first-time champion since Walter Donaldson back in 1947.

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Crucible Celebrities

McBrain

As ever this year at the World Championship, we have seen more than a few celebrities come along to savour the unique Crucible atmosphere and I have been fortunate enough to have met a couple of them. Click below for a round-up of the notable faces to have made the trip to Sheffield so far this week…

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Big Break – Crucible Style

JVKenDavisTaylor

For a third successive year here at the Crucible, an exhibition was required on the final Saturday afternoon due to an early finish in the tournament’s first semi-final, this year between Shaun Murphy and Barry Hawkins.

Having already had to put on an exhibition match between Stephen Hendry and Ken Doherty earlier in the tournament, the organisers today decided to do something a little different, running a ‘Big Break’ style competition for those of you familiar with the format of the old BBC show.

Click below for a few photographs from the exhibition…

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