Bowling elims for World Cup

The country’s leading bowlers, led by reigning World Cup champion CJ Suarez, have started their bids for the Bowling World Cup national title in 25 venues all over the country.

The first qualifying period is underway at Paeng’s Towncenter Bowl, Paeng’s Greenbelt Bowl, Paeng’s Sugarbowl-Bacolod, Xybr Bowl, Paeng’s Skybowl, SM Fairview, Q Plaza, Paeng’s Eastwood Bowl, Metromall, Puyat Sports Baguio, Grand Central, Astrobowl, Coronado Makati, Starlanes, SM West, SM Megamall, Bowling Inn, Metropolis Alabang, Commonwealth, Superbowl Pearl Plaza, Paeng’s Freedom Bowl Imus, Power Bowl-Rockwell, Coastal Lanes and Paeng’s Midtown Bowl.

The second qualifying period will start Aug. 23 up to the night before each center finals.

The top six bowlers from Paeng’s Town Center Bowl, Paeng’s Sugarbowl-Bacolod, Xybr Bowl, Q Plaza, SM Fairview, Paeng’s Greenbelt Bowl and Paeng’s Skybowl and the top 10 from the rest of the venues in the men’s and ladies’ divisions will make it to the center finals.

The top 86 female and male finalists after the center finals will advance to the three-day national finals set on Oct. 14-15 at Paeng’s Midtown Bowl, Oct. 18 at SM Megamall and Oct. 20 at Paeng’s Eastwood Bowl.

The men’s and ladies’ champions will earn the right to represent the country in the 40th Bowling World Cup international finals slated Dec. 5-12 at SAFRA Clubhouse, Telok Blangah, Singapore.

Other prizes are gift certificates worth P25,000 and P20,000 for the men’s and ladies’ runners-up, P15,000 and P12,000 for the third placers, P6,000 and P5,000 for the fourth placers, P2,700 and P2,300 for the fifth placers, P2,600 and P2,200 for the sixth placers, P2,500 and P2,100 for the seventh placers and P2,400 and P2,000 for the eighth finishers.

For winning last year’s World Cup, Suarez became only the fourth Filipino champion of the world’s most prestigious amateur matchplay bowlfest. Previous Filipino winners were Paeng Nepomuceno, who bagged the men’s title four times, and the late Lita dela Rosa and Bong Coo, who each triumphed in the women’s competition once.