PICKERING'S Sarah Ellerby took a gamble over three years ago when she gave up her job in the prison service to try and make it as a professional pool player in America.

Despite having won over 70 titles at national and international level, including the European Championship in 1997, she had to start from scratch in order to break into the US professional circuit. Before gaining a sports visa to live in America, she lived in Canada, making trips of up to 16 hours to play in qualifying tournaments.

But the gamble has clearly paid off. Having gained her pro status, Sarah is ranked 14th on the WPBA (Women's Professional Billiards Association) tour and has a wealth of commercial backing behind her.

"This year has been an absolute dream," said the Ice Maiden, as she is known from her playing days in England. "I've risen from 48th to 14th on the tour, had five top-ten finishes, including one top five, and won five out of seven tournaments on the pro-am tour in Florida."

Having won her first tournament at the age of 14, she now has over 100 major titles under her belt. Her best finish to date on the WPBA tour is fifth in the Spring Classic in San Diego last April.

Her meteoric rise up the rankings has raised her status in what is a more glamorous and high-profile sport than in the UK. Her success, combined with her good looks and ambitious drive, has given her considerable kudos in earning several sponsorship deals. In fact, she is known on tour as being the player with the most sponsorship.

She has just signed up with top US sports agency, Sports Unlimited, making her the first and only pool player to sign for the company. Established companies provide her with all her playing equipment, including Brunswick Billiards, which supplies her with an $8,000 pool table for her to practise on in her Orlando home.

In addition, she is sponsored by Farouk hair product company - which supplies Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston - and Goldanddiamond.com jewellers.

Image is a big part of the ladies game in America and, according to Sarah, is a big factor why the tour is bigger than the men's tour. Top players appear on TV commercials and chat shows. Jeanette Lee, ranked fourth on tour, was voted the third most sexy athlete in a poll conducted by media company ESPN.com

By comparison, ladies' pool in England remains low key. Ellerby followed the likes of Alison Fisher, England's number one lady snooker player, to America after becoming frustrated at the politics of the English game and the lack of money-making opportunities.

The 27-year-old was banned from many competitions because she was classed as a professional due to her taking part in exhibition matches for money. And in the World Championships - the one tournament she could enter - despite being one of the highest ranked players, the rules stated that she must go through all the qualifying stages because she wasn't playing for England.

She feels she was not respected by the game's organisers in this country. "It hurts as it was here that I was born and bred. But I feel I was pushed into going to America. I couldn't make any money here," said Ellerby.

Her rise to prominence in America has not always been a smooth ride. She came back to England for a spell when she found out her mother had breast cancer.

And, having just received her visa enabling her to live in the States, she was on a plane entering US airspace bound for Orlando on September 11. It was quite close to New York when the twin towers were struck and was diverted to Newfoundland, Canada. Unaware of what had taken place, the passengers had to wait for nine hours on the runway before they were let off the plane.

"It was one of the worst days of my life," said Sarah, who was unable to contact her family for two days whilst staying at a Salvation Army hostel before the flight was redirected back to England, "but I was one of the lucky ones."

She has since played in exhibition matches in aid of the Disaster Relief Fund for New York and Washington. A centre for breast cancer in York and St Leonard's Hospice are among other charities for which Ellerby has raised money.

Having broken into the top 16 in America - thus securing two byes in the early rounds of competitions - the Ice Maiden has her sights set on a first major tournament victory on the main tour. But she knows it won't be easy.

"It's tough out there. The US tour has 64 of the best players in the world and every match is tough."

Ellerby's success is all the more notable as she has had to adapt to the nine-ball version of pool, having played eight-ball for most of her career in England. Fifth place in her first major nine-ball tournament in Japan, when she beat the defending champion live on television, was a strong indication that she could make the transition.

Nine-ball tables are two feet longer than eight-ball tables and only have nine balls compared to 15 balls in the English version.

"There's a lot more space on a nine-ball table so you have to be much more accurate on your safety play. One mistake and you can sit it out for five or six racks."

The former Lady Lumley's School pupil has come a long way since she first picked up a cue and began playing the first to 100 games against her brother 15 years ago.

In that time, she has progressed from playing for the Moors Inn in the Pickering League to playing for North Yorkshire and then for her country. Now, the Ice Maiden is living the American dream.

lSarah Ellerby's website, sarahellerby.com is currently under construction and should be up and running in the next few weeks.

Updated: 10:43 Wednesday, January 15, 2003