FOR the second consecutive year, the World Ten Ball Championship will be held in Manila, with the World Trade Center in the Philippine capital serving as venue when the event unfolds on November 25-30. This was jointly announced Monday (August 3) by the World Pool-Billiard Association and Raya Sports.
The only world men's championship this year, the WTBC offers a total prize fund of $250,000 (champion's prize, $75,000) and some 300 players from over 50 countries are expected to participate in the main tournament and qualifying tournament.
The World Trade Center, home to major international events and exhibitions in the Philippines, will be hosting a world pool championship for the first time. Like the 2008 venue, the Philippine International Convention Center, the WTC is located in the Manila Bay area, with many hotels, restaurants and malls close by.
The qualifying tournament, which comprises 10 events, will be held on Nov. 19-23 at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City, which has hosted three world-championship qualifiers three years in a row.
The WTBC is organized and promoted by Raya Sports, franchise holder of the event and promoter of the last two world 9-ball championship in 2006 and 2007.
“Although the prize fund is smaller on account of the global recession, we expect this year's championship to be bigger and more competitive in every other way,” said JP Fenix, Raya executive director. “Ten Ball has taken off all over the world, and top players from every region will be eager to contest the top prize and trophy.”
The prestigious event will again be televised worldwide, with ESPN Star Sports broadcasting it live to some 33 countries, and ABS-CBN's Studio 23 handling the free TV Philippine broadcast.
The main tournament consists of 128 players, who earn their spots through rankings or selection by the WPA and continental federations, or through the various qualifiers conducted by Raya. Assured of spots are the top 10 players in the WPA world-ranking system and the reigning world champions in all disciplines.
The competition format divides the 128 participants into 16 groups. Each group goes through a double elimination competition to determine four players who will qualify for the Round of 64. From there, the competition becomes a knockout affair in which players will compete in race-to-9 matches up to the final. The final will be a race-to-11 match.
Darren Appleton of Great Britain won the first World Ten Ball Championship by beating Wu Chia Ching at the PICC in October last year. He will defend his championship in Manila this November.
For further information on the WTBC visit the Raya website: www.rayasports.com.
