Snooker: Trailblazer brings a touch of the Islands to the tables

Aucklander Siloti Maher has become a trailblazer in the world of snooker, although it is not solely in her battle of the sexes role.

The 48-year-old is competing in the New Zealand championships in Christchurch this week, thus keeping alive a thin thread of female tradition that includes Hawkes Bay's teenage star Ramona Belmont.

Belmont, the top-ranked New Zealand woman and daughter of former national champion Wyn Belmont, competed in last year's event.

But snooker officials in Christchurch were struggling this week to recall another Pacific Islander playing at the nationals, which date back to the mid-1900s.

Throw in the fact that Tongan-born Maher is competing alongside her husband Andrew Maher - who won the national B-grade title - and she has set an unusual mark.

The pair are a snooker love match: they met over the tables at the Onehunga RSA where Siloti is the catering manager and gets in four hours of playing and practice most days.

Andrew, a commercial window cleaner, has had the edge in their battles, but Siloti has won her share.

"I prefer to play against the men in a way - they have a less competitive attitude around the table," she says.

Maher is ranked at seven among the country's women players, 126 overall, has a top break of 52, and was the 52nd seed in the field of 56 in Christchurch.

She lost her first four matches, but finally triumphed over North Harbour's Graham Backman by three frames to two before taking her place in the plate section.

Although women's snooker is strong enough to have its own competitions, Maher struggles to identify another Pacific Island player on the circuit.

"They prefer to play pool - I certainly didn't see a snooker table anywhere when I went back to Tonga.

"I just love the challenge of the game ... I'm hoping by playing here it will encourage more women to enter the national champs."