WPC updates...

[gopi-1]

Philippines World Pool Championship whittle to eight (8)!

Roberto Gomez celebrates in the arena with excited fans
at the 2007 Philippines World Pool Championship



There are just eight billiards players left in the 2007 Philippines World Pool Championship
as day seven completed at the Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Manila.

The Philippines has the most players in the quarter-finals with Roberto "Superman" Gomez,
and the two Bustamante's, Francisco and Joven flying the flag for another repeat home
victory following Ronnie Alcano's success this time last year.

Surprisingly there are two Englishmen in the mix still and more surprisingly both Karl Boyes
and Daryl Peach both reside in the Northern seaside town of Blackpool.

Boyes had a great win over European No.1 Konstantin Stepanov while Peach battled out a
fine 11-5 win over sole remaining German Harry Stolka.

Roberto Gomez and Francisco Bustamante both enjoyed one-sided wins courtesy of their
perfection of the soft break. "Django" cast aside 2004 Champion Alex Pagulayan, while Gomez
white-washed Niels Feijen of Holland.

Joven Bustamante, making his debut in the event, was an 11-9 winner over Satoshi Kawabata.

Other Europeans through are Mika Immonen, the only former champion left in the competition
and ex-World Junior titlist Vilmos Foldes of Hungary - they meet tomorrow.

Normally one of the strongest countries in the event, Chinese Taipei has just one player left -
Kuo Po-Cheng. He was a finalist in 2005 and will be a stronger player for it.

As the tournament enters its business end, the rewards are great with losers tomorrow carrying
off $10,000.


Results last 16


Daryl Peach (ENG) 11 - 5 Harry Stolka (GER)

Francisco Bustamante (PHI) 11 - 2 Alex Pagulayan (PHI)

Mika Immonen (FIN) 11 - 8 Alain Martel (CAN)

Vilmos Foldes (HUN) 11 - 5 Lu Hui-chan (TPE)

Joven Bustamante (PHI) 11 - 9 Satoshi Kawabata (JPN)

Karl Boyes (Eng) 11 - 4 Konstantin Stepanov (RUS)

Kuo Po-cheng (TPE) 11 - 7 Corey Deuel (USA)

Roberto Gomez (PHI) 11 - 0 Niels Feijen (NED)



Saturday's Quarter-Final Matches


Daryl Peach (ENG) vs. Francisco Bustamante (PHI)

Mika Immonen (FIN) vs. Vilmos Foldes (HUN)

Joven Bustamante (PHI) vs. Karl Boyes (ENG)

Kuo Po-Cheng (TPE) vs. Roberto Gomez (PHI)

 

[gopi-1]

The OTHER Bustamante: Joven Plows into WPC's Top Eight

Manila, Philippines - In his first six months as a full-time professional 9-ball player, and at his
first World Pool Championship, 29-year-old Joven Bustamante has broken into the round-of-8.

Bustamante - no relation to his Filipino countryman Francisco Bustamante - slipped past Japan's
Satoshi Kawabata, 11-9, on Friday afternoon at the Araneta Coliseum to reach the WPC's round
of 8. On Saturday, he'll play another first-timer at the international 9-ball meet - Karl Boyes of
England.

Bustamante was working as a house pro at a poolhall in the Kuwait this year when he finished
tied-for third at the World 8-Ball Championship, losing to Dennis Orcollo in the semifinals. He was
invited by Orcullo's Philippines-based manager, Bugsy Promotions, to join their stable of up-and-
coming Filipino players. He accepted.

"My sponsor in Kuwait would not send me to big international events like this," he said. "So, I
decided to go back to the Philippines."

His first international trip under Bugsy's wing took him to the Korean International Championships
in July. He promptly won it.

Now he's three matches away from accomplishing the same feat at the World Pool Championship.
After making it through the group stage, he faced nemesis Orcullo in the round-of-64. After falling
behind 5-1, he gutted out a 10-6 victory.

In the next round, he got off to a strong start against 2005 champion Wu Chia-Ching and hung on
for a 10-8 win.

"Those two victories gave me a lot of confidence," said Bustamante, who is well-known in Filipino
pool circles for having a lot of heart. "Before the tournament, my target was the top 8 or the
semifinals, but now that I am in the top 8, my target is to make the final."

 

[gopi-1]

2008 WPC will stay in the Philippines!

RP to host WPC again in '08, with 4 Pinoys automatically seeded

The World Pool Championship will, for the third year in a row, be held again
in the Philippines - and four Filipinos are automatically seeded for that
edition of the annual tournament.

This was announced on Friday by the Matchroom Sports, which owns the
WPC franchise, through its spokesman Luke Riches.

Riches said the automatic seeding applies to players who made it to the
last-16 stage in this year's tournament - and that batch includes 2004
champion Alex Pagulayan, 2002 runner-up Francisco "Django" Bustamante,
Roberto Gomez, and Joven Bustamante.

"The four Filipinos are seeded to the main draw next year," Riches said.

As of this posting, the two Bustamantes have advanced to the
quarterfinals. Pagulayan, however, was eliminated by Django Bustamante.

Source:

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/68050/RP-to-host-WPC-again-in-08-with-4-Pinoys-automatically-seeded