Pool sharks from throughout the country will gather at the Police Canteen in Kingstown tonight, Friday, January 15, for the first leg of the 2016 Guinness ‘Got Balls?’ Pool Tournament.

This is the second year the tournament is being held and according to marketing coordinator at the St Vincent Brewery Kelvin Franklyn, the tournament provides an opportunity for pool players to engage in healthy competition.

Speaking at the tournament’s launch at Campden Park on Tuesday, January 12, Franklyn said that registration begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. He is asking persons to register on time. The winner tonight will walk away with EC$500 and a place in the March 12 national finals, where they can win EC$5,000. The competition uses the best of three elimination process.

“For the second consecutive year, this brand, a very exciting brand, bold, fresh, and always renewing itself, will be hosting the Guinness Pool Tournament 2016, proving that we are bold and a well-rounded brand. This tournament will excite not only Guinness drinkers, but also persons who would be experiencing an exciting tournament,” said Franklyn.

He added, “The Guinness Pool Tournament aims to provide an opportunity for pool players to engage in healthy competition with other local pool players, the chance to win EC$500 at different locations around St Vincent and the Grenadines and EC$5,000 in the finals. We are showing how diverse Guinness is as a brand and as a stout and bringing a new experience to Guinness drinkers and the Vincentian public on a whole.”

This year, the tournament will be held at eight locations throughout the country. It moves to Nani Bellingy in Pembroke on Friday, January 22; Tunnel View Bar in Byera on Saturday, January 30; Over the River Bar in Sandy Bay on Friday, February 5; Big City Life Bar in Richland Park on Friday, February 12; Bequia on Saturday, February 20; Azard St Hill in Troumaca on Saturday, February 27, and Tree House Bar in Arnos Vale on Saturday, March 5, with the grand finale on March 12 at a venue yet to be decided.

Trade marketing coordinator Lamont Medica, speaking at the launch, noted that anyone who follows the Guinness brand would know that “we seek new and exciting ways to engage consumers and this pool tournament is something that we would have experimented with last year and the support was overwhelming. We had pool players following us throughout the length and breadth of St Vincent and the Grenadines. We had persons travelling to Bequia and we had persons travelling up and this year we are expecting that it will be a lot bigger.”

He revealed that persons can gain entry into the competition by purchasing three Guinness drinks at the venue. Onlookers at the venues will be treated to Guinness specials and the Guinness girls will be there.

Alson Barker won the tournament and took home EC$5,500 in prize money last year.

The tournament director is Cleve ‘Skip’ McKenzie.