No World Men’s Ten Ball for RP this year, says pool chief

For the past three years, the Philippines has been hosting two of the biggest world events in the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) calendar — the World 9-Ball Championship and the World Ten Ball Championship for men and women. This time, there will be no World Ten Ball Championship for men. WPA president Ian Anderson confirmed this with GMANews.TV in a chance interview at Robinson's Galleria on Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City . “They’ve (organizers) given word that they will hold the World Ten Ball event in May next year, so definitely there will be no world championship for the men’s 10-Ball event this year," said Anderson.

The inaugural staging of the World Ten Ball Championship was conducted at the Philippine International Convention Center in 2008. It was repated in the country last year, a few months before the World Women’s 10-Ball was held and won by Filipina Rubilen Amit. The World Ten Ball Championship for men is usually organized by Raya Sports, which also owns the licensing rights for the hosting of this event. The World Women’s 10-Ball is organized by Dragon Promotions. The event is currently being held in the country — for the second straight year. Anderson was notified by the organizers of the postponement of the WTBC this year. “Maybe the timing wasn’t right at this time. There were elections held in the Philippines, both national and local," said Anderson, the Australian head of the world’s governing body in billiards. Raya Sports chief Yen Makabenta did commit the country’s hosting of the WTBC in May next year, but also confirmed the inclusion of other events lined up for local pool players — the Philippine Pool Tour and the National Open Championship. “We’re now finalizing our calendar for next year. We would like to hold the World Ten Ball Championship November of this year, but our athletes will be competing in the Asian Games," said Makabenta. "But we're going to revive other events such as the Philippine Pool Tour and the National Championship." - KY, GMANews.TV