VGP-Planet Sports tops Executive Squash Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Former national player Cheli Espiritu-Tabuena scored a perfect 66 points in sweeping three matches to power the VGP (Vicente Gonzalo Puyat)-Planet Sports team to the overall championship in the first Executive Squash Cup at the Manila Polo Club recently.

Tabuena, 39, was the only unbeaten player among 24 who were split six to a team in the four-way tournament organized by the Squash Rackets Association of the Philippines (SRAP). The Security Bank first vice president beat Team Head’s Bambi Tambunting, 11-1, 11-4, Team Powerade’s Patrice Ramos-Diaz, 11-5, 11-2, and Team Speedo’s Bettina Gordon, 11-6, 11-7.

Each set was played under the straight-to-11 format which is now the practice in squash matches throughout the world.

VGP-Planet Sports compiled a total of 335 points for first place. Next was Team Powerade with 306 then Team Head with 287 and finally, Team Speedo with 276.

Male players in each team were ranked No. 1 to No. 5. The sixth slot was reserved for females. Each competitor went up against the same ranked player in every team in a two-set match.

Tabuena’s teammates on VGP-Planet Sports were Pacific North Star Financial president Beans Gonzalez, Unilox president Nico Paradies, VGP Group director Dave Puyat, PR Kitchens owner Shrikant Wad and Insung Electronics president Sung Luk Lee.

Only nine players totalled at least 60 points. They were the unbeaten Tabuena, ICTSI finance manager Tin-Tin Tabuena of Powerade, Lee and Relzbach Marketing vice president Bobby Bachmann of Head with 63 each, Gerry’s Grill director Stephen Gan of Head with 62, Alex Rodriguez and Chut Cuerva, both of Powerade, with 61 points each and Paradies with 60.

Notching at least 50 points were Gordon with 57, First Metro Investment president Francis Sebastian of Speedo and Asian Development Bank’s Lito Abanil of Head with 56 each and Procter & Gamble associate director Yazdi Bagli with 50.

SRAP organizing committee head Jovie Vilar said the tournament raised funds for the sport’s grassroots training program and the national team preparing for the 15th Asian Junior Championships envisioned to be staged here in February 2011.

Vilar acknowledged the support of Powerade, Viva Mineral Water, VGP Group, Head, Speedo, Supply Outfield Services, Planet Sports, Athlete’s Foot, Fresh Papaya Soap, PR Kitchens, Concept One, Mikado Propeller, Karakal, Selecta, Gerry’s Grill, Edgar Lee and Dondi Baltazar for making the event a huge success.

The composition of the other teams was as follows: Team Powerade – Tin-Tin Tabuena, Rodriguez, financial advisor Boyong Deles, Cuerva, architect Bong Recio and Diaz. Team Head – Bagli, Bachmann, Gan, Abanil, Marilo Realty president Tony Lopez and Tambunting. Team Speedo – Speedo vice president Manish Mahtani, Magellan Communications managing director Dondi Verano, Supply Outfield Services chairman Louis Heusaff, Concept One automotive group president Sammy Liuson, Sebastian and HSBC vice president Bettina Gordon.

Vilar said the tournament proved the growing popularity of squash among chief executives, highly placed professionals and successful entrepreneurs of all ages.

“We’re excited to provide a stage for squash players to compete,” said SRAP director Tweetie De Leon-Gonzalez, a well-known fashion icon. “We previously held a celebrities tournament that also brought together prominent personalities in media, show business and fashion. This only shows that squash is for all and the SRAP is going all out to promote the sport as a fun game. We also want to galvanize support for our national juniors team. We are convinced that Filipinos can excel in squash and in the 1970s, we proved it when Fausto Preysler was the East Asian champion.”