World Slasher starts Tuesday

The World Slasher Cup Invitational 8-cock Derby unfurls Tuesday with the best in international cockfighting scene expected to participate at the Araneta Coliseum.

Organized by Pintakasi of Champions, the meet, scheduled on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, was formally launched yesterday by Araneta Center honcho Jorge "Nene" Araneta in a press conference at the Mandarin Oriental Café inside the Gateway Mall in Cubao.

Also gracing the simple opening rites were beauty queens 2005 Ms. International Precious Lara Quigaman, 2005 Binibining Pilipinas-World Carlene Aguilar and 2005 Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Gionna Cabrera.

At stake in the three-day event is a brand new 2006 4x2 pick-up and a giant gold trophy symbolic of the world championship title last year won by Boy Marzo and Matt Bitanga.

Fight schedule for the 2-cock qualifying round is Jan. 17, the semifinals on Jan. 19 and the culminating 4-cock championship on Jan. 21 in this event presented by Pizza Hut, co-sponsored by Thunderbird power pellets and San Miguel Corp. B-meg Derby Ace feeds.

Aside from Filipino entries, a crack group of foreign challengers from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Guam and Japan are expected to vie for the top honors in this blue ribbon meet, limited to entries with a minimum weight of 1.9 kilograms and a maximum of 2.5.