Sunday, December 27, 2009

4th NATIONAL POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lee Van Corteza displays National Champion trophy, flanked by (L-R) Tournament Director Mario Aquino, BSCP Chairman Yen Makabenta, Negros Stables Manager Jonathan Sy and BSCP President Sebastian Chua

December 22, Star Billiards Center, Quezon City - 2nd World 10-Ball Championship 1st runner-up and the 2007 National Champion Lee Van Corteza clinches the 2009 National Championship title edging Rodrigo Geronimo 11:6 in the final round. Settling for 3rd were Dennis Orcullo and Victor Arpilleda in semifinal matches.


The 4th BSCP National Pool Championships registered 82 men and 14 women cue players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Dubbed as "Bilyaran sa Pasko", the Championship welcomed the return of Bugsy and Negros Billiard Stable players such as Ronnie Alcano, Dennis Orcullo, Joven Bustamante, Carlo Biado, Lee Van Corteza, Warren Kiamco and seasoned independents Antonio Lining and Ramil Gallego, to name a few.


Defending champion Marlon Manalo had numerous challengers, one noteworthy opponent was 2008 World 10-Ball 1st runner-up Demosthenes Pulpul from Paul Magadian's Cebu stable.


On the distaff side, Zemonette Oryan defended her title, defeating Mica Claveria from the Negros Billiard Stables, 9:5. Floriza Andal of Laguna and Jingle David settled for 3rd place.




Rankings – Men
1. Corteza, Lee Van
2 Geronimo, Rodrigo
3. Arpilleda, Victor
4. Orcollo, Dennis
5. Tapia, Marvin
6. Biado, Carlo
7. Gomez, Roberto
8. Alcano, Ronnie
9. Valle, Gandy
10. Salazar, John
11. Gallego, Ramil
12. Tullao, Rocky
13. Feliciano, Michael
14. Lining, Antonio
15. Dela Cruz, Roland
16. Zerna, Ricky
Rankings – Women
1.Oryan, Zemonette
2.Claveria, Mica
3. Andal, Floriza
4. David, Jingle





Tuesday, December 1, 2009

BSCP AFTER YEAR 2005



The Philippines recently hosted the 2nd World 10-Ball Championship (WTBC) from November 25-30 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City.

Mika Immonen of Finland emerged as the 2009 World 10-Ball Champion defeating Lee Van Corteza of the Philippines 11:6 in the final match.


David Alcaide of Spain






and Antonio Lining of the Philippines settled for 3rd place.











Sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA) and the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), the 5-day feat was attended by 40 countries with a total of 128 players, as follows:

Australia:
Louis Condo
Ben Nunan
Austria:
Mario He
Martin Kempter
Belgium:

Serge Das
Brunei:
MB Alias
Canada:
Alain Martel
Raymond Cruz
Erick Hjorleifson
Adam Smith
Tyler Edey
China:
Li Hewen
Fu Jianbo
Liu Haitao
Croatia:
Phil Stojanovic
Czech Republic:
Roman Hybler
Denmark:
Kasper Krisofferson
Bahram Lofty
Finland:
Markus Juva
Mika Immonen
France:
Stephan Cohen
Vincent Facquet
Japan:
Hayato Hijikata
Yukio Akakarimaya
Toru Kuribayashi
Naoyuki Ooi
Satoshi Kawabata
Korea:
Jeong Young Hwa
Kim Woong Dae
Choi Chul Mook
Ryu Seung Woo
Malaysia:
Ibrahim Bin Amir
Lee Poh Soon
Mexico:
Ignacio Chavez
Netherlands:
Huidji See
Niels Feijen
Nick Van den Berg
Norway:
Vegar Kristiansen
Philippines:
Jeffrey de Luna
Demosthenes Pulpul
Marlon Manalo
Antonio Gabica
Allan Cuartero
Jerico Banares
Warren Kiamco
Dennis Orcullo
Ronnie Alcano
Lee Van Corteza
Carlo Biado
Ramil Gallego
Michael Feliciano
Jundel Mazon
Roberto Gomez
Antonio Lining
Jomar de Ocampo
Steve Villamil
Emil Martinez
Poland:
Mateusz Sniegocki
Tomasz Kaplan
Mariusz Skonechny
Radoslaw Babica
Qatar:
Basher Hussain
Abdulatef fawal
Rashis Almari
Russia:
Konstantin Stepanov
Ruslan Chinakhov
Serbia:
Sandor Tot
Singapore:
Tey Choon Kiat
Toh Lian Han
Slovenia:
Matjaz Erculj
South Africa:
Jason Theron
Alphonse Hoge
Spain:
David Alcaide
Rafel Guzmann
Sweden:
Marcus Chamat
Switzerland:
Dimitri Jungo
Taipei:
Chao Fong Pang
Chang Yu-Lung
Kuo Po-Cheng
Cheng Tsung-Hua
Ko Pin-Yi
Lu Hui Chan
Fu Che-Wei
Yang Ching-Shn
Wanh Hung-Hsiang
Turkey:
Mehmet Cankurt
Ramzan Dincer
USA:
Oscar Dominguez
Shawn Putnam
Johnny Archer
Stevie Moore
Charlie Bryant
Shaun Wilkie
Shane Van Boening
Corey Deuel
Charlie Williams
Venezuela:
Frailin Guanica
Jalal Youse
Vietnam:
Nguyen Ang Tuan


After a brief hiatus, other top Filipino players from the stables of Bugsy and Negros joined the 2nd WTBC giving the Philippines more opportunities to grab the "World 10-Ball Champion" title.

Below were the top 64 players who made the hill during the 1st three days of Championship:

1. Warren Kiamco (PHI) -------- 33. Jalal Yousef (VEN)
2. Jericho Banares (PHI) ------- 34. Thorsten Hohmann (GER)
3. Mario He (AUT) --------------- 35. Daryl Peach (GBR)
4. Radoslaw Babica (POL) ------ 36. Satoshi Kawabata (JPN)
5. Antonio Lining (PHI) -------- 37. Corey Deuel (USA)
6. Adam Smith (CAN) ----------- 38. Naoyuki Ooi (JPN)
7. Jeong Young Hwa (KOR) ---- 39. Jomar De Ocampo (PHI)
8. Nguyen Anh Than (VIE) ---- 40. Karl Boyes (GBR)
9. Niels Feijen (NED) ----------- 41. Mika Immonen (FIN)
10. Marlon Manalo (PHI) ------ 42. Fu Jianbo (CHN)
11. Ernesto Dominguez (MEX)-43. Nick Van Den Berg (NED)
12. Jonni Fulcher (GBR) ------- 44. Kenny Kwok (HKG)
13. Alain Martel (CAN) --------- 45. Jundel Mazon (PHI)
14. Huidji See (NED) ----------- 46. Ruslan Chinakhov (RUS)
15. Markus Juva (FIN) --------- 47. Elvis Calasang (PHI)
16. Johnny Archer (USA) ------ 48. Alwi (INA)
17. Lee van Corteza (PHI) ----- 49. Konstantin Stepanov (RUS)
18. Ben Nunan (AUS) ---------- 50. Chang Yu-Lung (TPE)
19. Imran Majid (GBR) -------- 51. Ronnie Alcano (PHI)
20. Thomas Engert (GER) ---- 52. Charlie Williams (USA)
21. Fu Che-Wei (TPE) ---------- 53. Roman Hybler (CZE)
22. Ricky Yang (INA) ----------- 54. Wang Ming (CHN)
23. Li Hewen (CHN) ------------ 55. Oliver Ortmann (GER)
24. Ralf Souquet (GER) -------- 56. Ignacio Chavez (MEX)
25. Darren Appleton (GBR) --- 57. Craig Osborne (GBR)
26. Christoph Reintjes (GER)- 58. Stephan Cohen (FRA)
27. Dang Jin-hu (CHN) ---------59. Yang Ching Shun (TPE)
28. Marcus Chamat (SWE) ---- 60. Kuo Po-Cheng (TPE)
29. Hayato Hijikata (JPN) ----- 61. Erik Hjorleifson (CAN)
30. Oscar Dominguez (USA) -- 62. Dennis Orcullo (PHI)
31. Yukio Akakariyama (JPN)- 63. Fong Pang Chao (TPE)
32. David Alcaide (ESP) -------- 64. Antonio Gabica (PHI)

Prior to the Stage-2 eliminations of the Championship, a 5-day grueling Stage-1 eliminations were held at the Star Billiards Club in Quezon City. A total of 126 players from 20 countries fought for the five Championship slots. These eliminations proved to be the most difficult segment of the WTBC having players compete from 10AM until 1AM the next day. Players who failed to win in the 1st day opted to compete in the succeeding days.

One of this year's WTBC highlights was the convening of the World Pool-Billiard Association's (WPA) General Assembly meeting at the Heritage Hotel, the official lodging for the WTBC. Members from the five continents were present and re-elected Mr. Ian Anderson as WPA president. Other officers elected were:  Peter Hawley as Vice President, Fran Crimi as Treasurer/Secretary General, Georgina Palacios as Deputy Secretary General and Jery Forsyth as Press Officer.


The World 10-Ball Championship was conceived by no other than BSCP chairman, Yen Makabenta. A journalist by profession, Yen is an avid pool player himself. Inspired by the successful hosting of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games Billiard events in Manila, Yen established Raya Sports the year after specifically to promote his favorite sport in the country to a higher level and for the world to know that the Philippines is the Mecca for pool. Raya acquired an 8 year right to organize the WTBC from WPA.

Initially, Raya Sports organized the 2006 World 9-Ball Championship (WNBC) held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City and prior to, the 1st BSCP National (9-Ball) Pool Championship.

In 2007, Raya again organized the WNBC at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City and prior to, the 2nd BSCP National (9-Ball) Pool Championships and the 1st National Junior Championship.

2008 became the event filled year for pool in the country. In close coordination with BSCP, Raya sports continued to organize local tournaments such as the: 1st Philippine Pool Tour - Leg 1-Mandaluyong's Mayor's Cup and Leg 2-Palawan's Mayor's Cup, the 2nd National Juniors Championship, the 3rd National (10-Ball) Pool Championships and the 1st World 10-Ball Championship.

This year, the 1st Leg of the 2nd Philippine Pool Tour was conducted in Olongapo City, the 1st Philippine-Open (10-Ball) was organized at the SM Mega Trade Center in Pasig city and the 2nd WTBC. The 4th National (10-Ball) Pool Championships is scheduled on the 3rd week of December.

In all of these events, BSCP president Sebastian Chua owner of Star Billiards Center provided the venue, free-of-charge, for the (WTBC) eliminations, pool tables, cue balls and supplies. Mr. Chua is the exclusive distributor in the Philippines for Brunswick pool tables, Predator cue sticks, Aramith cue balls, Ivan Simoniz pool table cloths, Master cue chalks, among other leading brands. Star Billiards Club also organized several local tournaments dubbed as the Star Search Tournament.

Three years after the 2005 SEA Games, the BSCP ran in full-swing with spectacular events. This is in fulfillment of its mission promoting billiard in the country inspiring more Filipinos to be involved in the sport. More so in garnering respect from international bodies that the Philippines is the place where pool table kings come from.