INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines ? Philippine billiard icon Efren ?Bata? Reyes and recent Women?s World 10-Ball champion Rubilen Amit will pair up to compete in the World Mixed Doubles Classic on December 1-3 at the Nuvo City in Libis Quezon City.

The event, to feature six teams from different countries to battle in the 10-Ball competition, will be participated in by among the best men and women cueists that include Mika ?Iceman? Immonen, Shane Van Boening, and Francisco ?Django? Bustamante.

Aside from the Bata-Amit tandem of Team Philippines?, there is the pair of Bustamante and Filipino-American Shanelle Loraine.

US Open Champ Boening and US Amateur Women's Champion Amy Chen will represent Team USA while Team Japan will be bannered by Hayato Hijikata and Kaori Ebe.

World?s number one Mika Immonen, who has been on roll in 2008 and 2009, will be paired with Albania newbie Borana Andoni for Team Europe while Team Korea will be represented by top Korean-American professional Charlie Williams and his student, Yu Ram Cha, who finished 5th at this year's Women's World 10-Ball Championship in Manila.

"This is the first time international men and women stars of the game have been brought together to play on teams. The players were all thrilled to join because not only will it be challenging and historic, but very fun!" said the Dragon Promotions chief executive officer Cindy Lee in her statement being the producer of the World Mixed Doubles.

The event will be aired live through local television and cable sports channels.