42nd Philippine International Open rolls off Sunday

MANILA, Philippines–Big-time bowling takes centerstage with the opening of the 42nd Philippine International Open Tenpin Bowling Championships this Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall Bowling Center in Cainta, Rizal.

Cainta Mayor Kit Nieto and Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner (PSC) Iggy Clavecilla have been invited as guests of honor during the opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. Dr. Ronnie Mendoza, president of the Philippine Bowling Congress (PBC) which organized this tournament, will deliver the welcome remarks.

Events on tap are Singles, Doubles, Trios, as well as the Men’s and Ladies’ Open Masters, Graded Masters, Associate Masters, Rookie Masters, Senior Masters and Boys’ and Girls’ Youth Masters.

As a special event of the tournament, the Toti Lopa Memorial Cup will also be contested, in both team and individual Masters events, in memory of PBC president Ernesto “Toti” Lopa, who passed away recently.

Lopa, who is best remembered for coaching Olympian Arianne Cerdeña-Valdez to the gold medal in bowling at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, succumbed to illness while representing the country at the WTBA World Championships and Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada, last August.

Jonas Baltasar and Liza del Rosario will be on hand to defend their Open Masters titles against a strong local and international field. All local bowling associations and clubs are expected to participate in this event, considered as the country’s premiere bowling tournament.

The tournament, which will run until Nov. 17, is sanctioned by the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) and Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) and is organized by the PBC in cooperation with Sta. Lucia Mall, Boysen Paints, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and PSC.

It is also supported by the University of Perpetual Help System, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, and the National Bowling Tour.

Interested participants may contact the PBC Secretariat at 3105194 or 4003463.  Or they email their inquiry to [email protected]. Abel S. Ulanday

 Originally posted at  3:47 p.m. | November 2, 2013