Jess de la Haye, age 16. World Juniors No.2.

JESS DE LA HAYE is aiming to be the top young player on the planet in next week’s Foster’s Junior World Eight-Ball Pool Championships in Blackpool.
At last year’s championships, the 17-year-old apprentice carpenter, after reaching the quarter-finals of the singles event and a strong showing in the team competition, claimed the world’s number two spot.
‘I’m aiming to go one better,’ he said.
‘It’s my last year in the juniors and I want to come first and win it.
‘I’m looking forward to it. It should be a good trip.’
De la Haye made history earlier this year to be the first player to hold the junior and senior island titles.
In May, he retained his junior crown when he defeated James Kirk in an epic final.
Kirk joins de la Haye in Blackpool and they are the only two Sarnians in the five-man Channel Islands pool team at the championships.
‘I expect both of them to do well,’ said the chairman of the Guernsey World Pool Association and Kirk’s father, Trevor.
‘Without a doubt they are both capable of doing it, especially the way they are playing now.’
With de la Haye’s number two ranking he is already in what is called the ‘Dream Team’, which is the top five players.
‘The aim is to get them into single figure rankings and both into the top five Dream Team,’ said Kirk senior.
‘It’d be nice to have them in there.’
The Jersey players in the side are Ryan Shaw, Darren du Feu and Graham Duhamel.
‘They are certainly good, but not quite as good as James and Jess,’ said Kirk.
‘Darren has been before and Ryan is their number one. Graham is 17 and we’ve not seen him play but we’ve been told he’s pretty good.’
Kirk is hoping for a semi-final spot in the team event.
‘It wouldn’t be the first time the team has got into the semis and I’d be happy with that without a doubt,’ he said.