INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?The Philippines? multi-titled jetski champion Paul del Rosario delivered another big splash for the country when he bagged two titles recently in the final leg of the DMP Motorsports National Tour at Lake Elsinore, California.

Del Rosario turned back top west coast American rivals as he captured both the Expert Runabout Open and the Pro-Am Runabout Open crowns in the event sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association.

His team-up with world-renowned Rius Racing owned by former world jetski champ Nicolas Rius proved to be a key factor.

Paul had a trouble-free run throughout, marking his first overall Pro career win in the United States. The race served as a good tune-up prior to his more important campaign in the World Jet Ski Finals in Lake Havasu, Arizona, on Oct. 14.

?I?m overwhelmed by the huge support of Filipinos here who really came out to show they?re still Filipinos at heart,? said Del Rosario.

Del Rosario?s meeting with Rius was purely accidental. His Dad was about to leave a shopping center when he came to the rescue of a woman whose shopping cart went out of control. The woman turned out to be Rius? wife and offered Nicolas? assistance for Paul?s campaign.

Rius Racing and Jun de Jesus really did wonders on his Yamaha watercraft which was the same boat Del Rosario used during a disappointing run in last year?s 2008 World Jet Ski Finals stint.

He was then on the verge of clinching his first Amateur Open Runabout world championship plum last year after topping the qualifying run and Moto 1 to claim pole position for Moto 2.

But engine problems hounded him at the start and he did not even complete a single lap.