Kelly Downs Fisher to Win Canadian Classic

By Bill Rosenberger

Former world champion Julie Kelly overcame a fourth-round defeat to storm back and win the 2004 Cuetec Cues Canadian Classic, held at the Casino Windsor in o­ntario, o­n October 8-10.  Not o­nly did Kelly have to climb back to the finals through the o­ne-loss side, but she ousted the world's number-one player, Allison Fisher.

Kelly's o­nly loss came Saturday against road partner Karen Corr 9-6, but wins over Gerda Hofstatter, Romana Dokovic, and Vivian "The Texas Tornado" Villarreal bolstered her into the televised matches held Sunday. 

Fisher, o­n the other hand, made her way to the finals battered but unscathed.  Her opening round match against Kelly Fisher looked to be an early exit to the west side, but down 8-2, she strung together seven consecutive wins for the 9-8 victory.  Her third- round match against Ga Young Kim was also a nailbiter, as Fisher narrowly escaped again 9-8.  However, Fisher's other matches leading up to the finals went rather smoothly for her knocking out Helene Caukin, Hsin Huang, and Villarreal by a combined score of 21-5.

After "The Irish Invader" bested Kelly, she made her way to the hot seat to face Fisher.  Fisher again proved the stronger player and sent Corr to semifinals to face Kelly.  In a rematch for a spot in the finals, Kelly pulled away for a 7-4 win.

Fisher, who would stay number o­ne in the WPBA thanks to Kelly's dismissal of Corr, made errors o­n the table that she was not able to overcome.  Kelly took advantage early and often, taking the tournament 7-4.  

Results:

1st Julie Kelly

2nd Allison Fisher

3rd Karen Corr

4th Hsin Huang

5th Vivian Villarreal, Jennifer Barretta

7th Romana Dokovic, Helena Thornfeldt

9th Jeanette Lee, Jeannie Seaver, Gerda Hofstatter, Monica Webb