The final qualifiers will be held on Oct. 28-Nov. 1 at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City to fill 10 slots in the main draw in the 17th edition of the WPC hosted by the Philippines with the Department of Tourism as lead sponsor.
Already seeded into the main draw with a crack at the $100,000 top purse are former winners Efren Reyes and Alex Pagulayan and other ace Filipino pool players
Jose Parica, Marlon Manalo, Francisco Bustamante, Ramil Gallego, Rodolfo Luat, Gandy Valle, Jeff de Luna, Ronnie Alcano, Dennis Orcollo and Roland Garcia.
The United States has the most number of entries with 13 followed by the Philippines and Chinese Taipei with 12 apiece. Other countries with seeded players in the tourney are Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Scotland, Serbia Montenegro, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand. Venezuela and Vietnam.
With the Department of Tourism as lead sponsor, the 2006 World Pool Championship will highlight sports tourism as a major component of tourism promotion and development in the Philippines.
This was underscored by organizers and sponsors during a media launch yesterday at the Philippine Plaza Hotel — to be called Sofitel Philippine Plaza starting in November.
DOT Assistant Secretary Cythia Carreon said the country could have a good return of investment in this undertaking with about 5,000 guests expected to grace the event.
She projects high growth in the sports tourism sector as a result of events like the 2006 World Pool Championship and last year’s Southeast Asian Games.
Raya Sports said it would offer low-cost travel arrangements for the guests to visit Boracay, Cebu, Subic and Clark among other local tourist destinations.
Raya Sports also announced that seven other hotels are participating in the promotion and provision of accommodations to players and guests. These are Manila Diamond Hotel, Hyatt Regency Manila, Heritage Hotel, Bayview Park Hotel, Manila Pavilion, Orchid Garden Suites and Mabuhay Manor.
The event was first staged in Bergheim, Germany by the World Pool-Billiard Association in 1990 and has since been played in the US (three times), Taiwan (five times), Sweden (once), Spain (once) and United Kingdom (five times).
In 2005, the event was played at the Kaoshiung Exhibition Center with 16-year-old Taiwanese Wu Chia Ching emerging champion.
Ching banners the Chinese-Taipei cast now that includes Chang Pei-wei, Kuo Po-cheng, Huang Kun-chang, Chang Jung-ling, Chen Ying-chieh, Wang Hung-hsiang,
Yang Ching-shun, Chao Fong-pang, Fu Che-wei, Lee Kun-fang and Liu Cheng-chuan.