Pool ends year in high as it looks ahead to 2026

The Gibraltar Pool Association recently held its Dave Jarvis Memorial Tournament.
Coming at a time when several players had just returned from representing Gibraltar in Ireland at the Nations Cup, and with next year’s Nations Cup now confirmed to take place in Gibraltar, the annual event took on added significance as the sport continues to grow in exposure.
The tournament, played in a single-elimination 8-ball format, saw a total of 45 players sign up.
Phil Cox emerged as the overall winner, with Heath Watson finishing in second place, both having disposed of several big names in the local game on their way to the final.
In the final, Phil Cox defeated Heath Watson 5–2.
Cox came through from the first round after beating Padma Cara 3–0. He then went on to defeat James Burn in a tight contest, winning 3–2, before progressing to face Charlie Bear, one of the event’s main organisers. Cox secured a convincing 3–0 victory to advance to the quarter-finals, where he faced James Patterson and claimed a 4–2 win to book his place in the semi-finals.
There, Cox was pushed all the way by David Wadsworth in a tough encounter, eventually edging through with a 5–4 victory.
The other semi-final saw Heath Watson claim a 5–3 win. Watson disposed of Naresh Gopwani in the first round before facing Val Jarvis in the second, winning 3–1. He then overcame Dan Lowes 3–2 before defeating Kyle Dixon 4–1 in the quarter-finals to reach the last four.
The tournament concluded with Phil Cox taking first place, Heath Watson finishing second, and David Wadsworth and Aidan Reeder both collecting bronze medals.
Finishing in joint fifth place were Brian Fa, James Patterson, Kyle Dixon and James Hutchins.
The sport now enters a short Christmas break, bringing the year’s action to a close, with the league temporarily paused.
In the First Division (Fresh Pro AVL), FEC Stars sit at the top of the table with a two-point lead, followed by Charlie’s Bar in second place and St Theresa’s Pirates close behind in third.
In the Second Division (KAM), Rack Pack lead the way by just one point, although they have played an extra game. Marina Sharks sit second, with Cuephoria in third — all three sides separated by a single point.
Looking ahead, with the Nations Cup arriving in Gibraltar, the GPA Open Tournament will take place between February 27 and March 1.

This will lead into the Nations Cup itself, one of the biggest events the association has secured, guaranteeing international pool on the Rock for the next few years.