WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP MOVED TO EARLY 2009
by Ronnie Nathanielsz

The World Pool Championships which were staged in the Philippines the past two years may not happen until early 2009.

That’s the word from Matchroom Sport Media Director Luke Riches in response to a question from to www.insidesports.ph .

We asked Riches what the situation was following a press release carried by AZ Billiards which said that “due to rumors the World 9-Ball Championship being possibly cancelled, the US Open 9-Ball Championships has opened the field to give all the great players from America and all over the world the opportunity to play in this year’s US Open.”

Riches said the WPC “is not dead yet. But most likely it will be early 2009” when the event would be staged.

The bitter quarrel between the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines and Raya Sports headed by BSCP Chairman Yen Makabenta who organized the last two World Pool Championships PC C with Manila as host and most of the leading players who have formed the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines has effectively prevented the event being staged in Manila for the third successive year.

The press release on the US Open said “we are looking forward to the 33rd Annual US Open Championships. We are excited to see if Shane Van Boening can repeat as Champion. Nick Varnet is the only US Open champion in history to have achieved two consecutive championships in 1989 and 1990.”

The entry fee for the US Open is $600 and it must be paid by October 12, 2008 to avoid the $50 late fee.

The event will be held at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake , Virginia from October 19-25. It’s a race-to-eleven, double elimination and the finals is a race-to-thirteen with the top prize of $40,000.

Previous winners from the Philippines were Efren “Bata” Reyes in 1994 and Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan in 2005.