無錫精英賽成為世界積分排名賽事

　　2012年5月2日

　　根據一個新的五年合同，無錫精英賽會在下個賽季成為一站世界積分排名賽事。

　　該項賽事將在6月25日至7月1日作為2012/13賽季的首項積分排名賽舉辦。該項賽事自2008年以來作為邀請賽成為賽歷上的常規組成部分，現在成為一項完整的積分排名賽。它將成為下賽季在中國舉辦的五項世界積分排名賽事之一。

　　今年該項賽事的獎金為40萬英鎊，明年將提高到42萬5千英鎊，隨後的三年將是45萬英鎊。

　　無錫位於江蘇省，是中國著名旅遊城市之一，並且是中國的頂尖球員丁俊暉的家鄉。這座城市擁有轉為斯諾克賽事而建設的場館。

　　世界斯諾克主席巴裏 赫恩表示：“我們非常高興地歡迎無錫精英賽成為世界積分排名賽大家庭中的一員。這是頂尖球員參加的邀請賽事的好範例，為一項新的排名賽開啟了大門。我們與中國檯球協會建立了良好的合作關係作為成功辦賽的基礎。中國的市場在快速的發展，我們會到需要的地方去，斯諾克運動屬於全世界。今年的世錦賽有五名中國球員參賽，而更多的球員在成長。”

　　本項賽事的資格賽將於6月5日至8日在謝菲爾德的世界斯諾克學院舉行。

　　Wuxi Classic Becomes World Ranking Event

　　02nd May 2012

　　The Wuxi Classic will become a world ranking event for the first time next season, thanks to a new five-year agreement.

　　The tournament will run from June 25 to July 1 and will be the first ranking event of the 2012/13 season. It has been a regular fixture on the calendar since 2008, initially as an invitation tournament, and has now been given full ranking status. It will be one of five ranking events in China next season.

　　Total prize money for the event this year will be ￡400,000, rising to ￡425,000 next year then ￡450,000 for the following three years.

　　Wuxi, located in the Jiangsu Province, is known as one of the most beautiful cities in China and is the home town of the country"s top player Ding Junhui. The city has a purpose-built stadium for snooker tournaments.

　　World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We are delighted to welcome the Wuxi Classic to our family of world ranking events in China. This is a wonderful example of an invitation event attended by the top players, opening the door for a full ranking event.

　　"We have built an excellent relationship with the CBSA and that has been fundamental to our success. China is a rapidly expanding market and we are going where the demand is because this game belongs to the world. There were five Chinese in the World Championship this year and there are many more waiting in the wings."

　　The qualifying rounds of the tournament will run from June 5 to 8 at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield.