PHL to host Asia Expat Pool Challenge

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines will once again play host to a world-class billiards competition featuring amateur expatriate players representing seven cities all over Asia.

Manila will be hosting the 2014 edition of the Asia Expat Pool Challenge (AEPEC), which will take place on Sept. 5-6 at the Central Plaza of the Newport Mall in Resorts World Manila. DMC Philippines in cooperation with Puyat Sports, the nations pioneer in billiard events, will be producing the event.

Each team is comprised of players who are based in the seven participating cities on an expatriate basis. A total of 15 players, , including up to five reserves, will represent each city. The 2014 edition boasts an unprecedented number of participating teams with seven cities represented, including Manila (Patriots), Jakarta (All Stars), Bangkok (Pool League), Singapore (Expat Qs), Saigon (Legends), Phnom Penh (Parrots) and Shanghai (Sharks). 

Previous editions were hosted by Jakarta in its inception in 2011, wherein only two teams participated with the challengers from Bangkok came out victorious. Bangkok hosted the event in 2012 with Jakarta, and new addition Shanghai expanding the field. Bangkok took the crown yet again and went into the 2013 event gunning for a hat trick.

Last year, the event returned to Jakarta with the Manila Patriots team participating for the first time. The field had grown to six teams with the original pair of Jakarta and Bangkok joined by Shanghai, Singapore, Saigon and Manila. Bangkok took the victory once again to complete their hat trick with Jakarta coming in second. Saigon took third place while the Manila Patriots managed a fourth place finish in their first try finishing ahead of Shanghai and Singapore. 

 This year, with the event taking place in Manila, the team is aiming to take the top spot on home soil. While the players are amateurs, the competition is still fierce. The event is meant to encourage players to “get to the next level” by participating in an international pool challenge unique to Asia.

“The event is about pool, but it’s more than that,” explained AEOC founder Brian Piggot, an expat based in Jakarta and head of the Indonesian delegation. “For my players it’s an opportunity to go to another country to be met by expats of that country, who are not only expecting you but are also welcoming you,” he explained during an interview from the early years of the event.

The tournament will be streamed live via the event’s official website, http://asiaexpatpool.com/