Dates, Venue & Address

Dates:

Saturday 22 February 2025 to Tuesday 25 February 2025 

Venues: 

The event is split over three venues where players will be required to go to different venues during the event. The venues hosting the event are:

- Plaza Snooker & Pool Club

- Longton Snooker & Pool Club

- Players Pool & Snooker Lounge

All venues are approximately within ten minutes of drive of each other. 

Addresses:

Plaza Snooker & Pool Club: 147 King Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 3NA (Google Maps link

Longton Snooker & Pool Club: 37 Normacot Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 1PL (Google Maps link

Players Pool & Snooker Lounge: 10 Queens Court, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1RW (Google Maps link

 

Entry Cost & Dates

Entry Price:

£37.50 per competitor: This provides entry into the individual competition, as well as the team competition if they enter as part of an institution team. 

There will be no accommodation or travel included in this entry fee. It is strongly advised that competitors ensure any accommodation or travel they book has a free-cancellation option to cover every eventuality. 

Entry Opening Date:

Tuesday 17th December 2024

Stage 1 Entry Closing Date:

“Stage 1” is for the submission of entries ONLY – no reserves should be entered in Stage 1 

11:59pm on Tuesday 28 January 2025 – Student/Competitor Deadline (Students/Competitors must apply by this deadline) 

11:59pm on Thursday 30 January 2025 – Institution Administrator Approval Deadline (Institutional Administrators are given 48 hours after the student/competitor deadline to approve entries – no reserves should be approved in Stage 1) 

Single Entry

This competition will NOT operate a staged entry process. As such, please ensure all entries are submitted through BUCS Play prior to the closing date listed above. 

“Stage 2” will be opened on Friday 31 January 2025 for the addition of reserves ONLY and will remain open until 11:59pm on Tuesday 25 February 2025.  Note that this deadline is different to the usual Thursday closing of BUCS Play events to enable institutions to add reserve players, and then use them to replace withdrawn entries, for the duration of the team element of the Championships. 

Events and BUCS Points Available

There are BUCS medals applicable to all events. There are BUCS points (see Appendix 1 here) applicable to all events apart from the Individual Trophy. There will also be prize money as detailed in the competition rules and regulations on the UPC website

Entry Allowance

The event will be split into two separate championships based on gender, with both championships consisting of an individual event and a team event if entering as part of a team. 

Men’s teams are to be made up of either five or six competitors, with five to play in any given match. Women’s teams are to be made up of either three or four competitors, with three to play in any given match. 

An institution unable to raise the minimum number of competitors needed for a men’s team may enter a maximum of two competitors into the Men’s Individual Championship. An institution unable to raise the minimum number of competitors needed for a women’s team may enter a single competitor into the event to play in the Women’s Individual Championship. 

The team limit cap is yet to be determined and will be announced by the UPC in their entry documents when they are published. 

All institutions need to send the Tournament Director, Daniel Turner, a Player Details Form, which can be found on the UPC website when uploaded. This form details the composition of each team, and provides the strength of all competitors which are required to rank players for their entry into the Individual Competition. There is a separate form for both the Men’s and Women’s competition. 

If your institution enters multiple teams then, other than in exceptional circumstances, competitors ascribed to a particular team on the Player Details Form will be unable to play for any lower-ranked team in the tournament. In case of a change/substitution, competitors may be shuffled up from lower- to higher-ranked teams (e.g. seconds to firsts) or from the reserve list into the lowest-ranked team, but no player (including a reserve) can leapfrog a competitor named above them on the Player Details Form supplied to UPC by the institution’s main contact. 

There is no maximum number of individuals who can play in the individual competition, but all competitors must either be part of an institution team, or be individual-only entrants as detailed above, to play at the event. For example, an institution with exactly nine male competitors may only enter a team of a maximum of six players; for this player to play at the event, the institution must enter a tenth player so they can play on a second team. Similarly, an institution with exactly five female competitors may only enter a team of a maximum of four players; for the fifth player to play at the event, the institution must find at least another player so they can play on a second team. 

Entry Process

Individual Events:

To apply for the Individual competition all eligible competitors must follow these steps: 

  1. Competitor to apply to the event on BUCS Play (Instructions on how to do this can be found here

  1. Institution administrator approves entry (Instructions on how to do this can be found here

  1. BUCS approves/denies entry into competition and publishes confirmed entry list 

Any data will be handled in accordance with BUCS Privacy Policy 

Each institution must also appoint one of its attendees to be the institution’s “main contact” for the event. The main contact will be required to email a Player Details form to the UPC Tournament Director, Daniel Turner. This form will include which of their institution’s competitors are ascribed to which of its teams, who the team captains are, whether any competitors require reasonable adjustment, and who will serve as the main point of contact between UPC and their institution’s delegation at the event in case of any matters that are not applicable to the team captain(s). 

By participating in this event you agree to adhere to BUCS General Event Disclaimer 

To check whether you are eligible to compete in BUCS competitions, please visit REG 4 Individual Eligibility.  

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Team Events:

All competitors who are playing as part of a team will enter using the previous process for individual events. If that player is part of an institution team as detailed on the institution Player Details Form, then that competitor will be entered into the Team competition as well. Players do not need to detail on BUCS Play which institution team they are playing for, this information is collected using the Player Details Form sent directly to the UPC. 

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are dealt with as per our rules and regulations found on the UPC website. Please see REG 7.9 for our withdrawal policy 

Para-Sport

  • This event does not have a para-sport category. 

  • Some of the playing arenas, especially Players Pool & Snooker Lounge, involves navigating steps or staircases. If disability access pertains to any competitor, we recommend they get in touch with the venue to check disabled access. 

  • The UPC values players from all backgrounds and aims to create and maintain an inclusive playing environment where everyone is encouraged to reach his or her full potential. The UPC commits to the concept of reasonable adjustments. Where any player with a pre-existing condition feels that this may apply to them at a forthcoming UPC event, the UPC should be notified at the earliest opportunity before the event begins and if applicable appropriate medical evidence supplied in order for any adjustment to be made. Any situation arising during a UPC event should be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director immediately, again with any available medical evidence if applicable. Players are wholly responsible for informing the UPC where a reasonable adjustment is required. Adjustments cannot be made in retrospect and the UPC cannot be expected to make an adjustment of which it has not been informed. Adjustments will be made until the end of the current playing season unless the player informs the UPC otherwise. A new application for reasonable adjustment must be made separately for each subsequent season and will be considered on its merits. The UPC will handle each case in the strictest confidence. 

Photography and Videography

Anyone wishing to take photos or video at this event must complete the BUCS Media Accreditation Form prior to the event 

BUCS Safeguarding

BUCS’ mission is to provide exceptional student sporting experiences that inspire, develop and unite.

Critical to our success is our commitment to always providing safe, friendly and enjoyable environments for all participants. Whether competing, coaching, officiating, volunteering, working or spectating at these events, the welfare of all is critical to our mission.

To find out more or report a concern, please click here.

Questions

All questions should in the first instance should be directed to your Institution Administration or Joe O'Loughlin (Event Coordinator).