ALKHOBAR, 22 August 2003 — Topnotch bowlers participated last Friday at the Al Gosaibi Hotel Bowling Center in preparation of their trip to Dubai to represent Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province Filipino bowling community in the 6th annual GCC All-Filipino bowling tournament.
The GCC All-Filipino bowling tournament is to be held in Dubai from Aug. 26-29.
The Filipino bowlers of Saudi Arabia are to be represented by three well-known and well-established bowling clubs: Filipino Tenpin Bowlers, Eastern Province (Filbowler), headed by its President Boy Tuazon; Filipino Overseas Bowlers of Riyadh (FOBR), to be led by its Chairman Shakur Kamlian and Filipino Tenpin Bowlers of Jeddah (FTBJ) guided by its President Rene San Pedro.
Filbowler is fielding four teams, 3 men’s teams and 1 ladies’ team. Leading the team is Boy Tuazon and Danny Mamaril, the team statistician. Team members are: Ely Soberano, Ed Mendoza, Rene Banda, Edwin Avelino, Ronnie Bernardo, Danny Sabang, Ron Pineda, Gerald Emmanuel, Joey Velasquez, Jun Arcano, Joe Tomagan, Ben Tinampay, Tony Balabbo, Boullet Lucas, Peter Aquino, Egay Aquino and Joey De la Cruz for the men’s team.
The ladies’ team: Jella Divinagracia, Gloria Parocha, Elsie Tambal, Andie Avelino, Laida Gliponeo and Crislou Dulatre.
This year’s host is the Sharjah Filipino Bowling Club (SFBC) under the auspices of the Filipino Bowling Federation of the United Arab Emirates.
The games will be held at Dubai Bowling Center and the events will be Masters, Singles, Doubles, Trio and Team tournaments where most of the events are expected to be best-of 6-game series except the Masters’, which is a 10-game series. Last year’s tournament was hosted by Qatar.
In last Friday’s Group A event, Soberano scored a total of 1,941 for the 10-game series while his nearest rival Joey De la Cruz scored 1,921.
In the stepladder contest however, De la Cruz scored 187 pinfalls to gain the championship crown against Soberano’s 162 pinfalls.
Other winners were: Peter Aquino, Ronnie Bernardo, Ronald Pineda, Edwin Avelino, Ed Mendoza and Danny Sabang.
Group B winners were: Jess Micua Champion, Danny De la Cruz 1st runner up, Charlie Sorilla 2nd runner-up, Rayyan Bacudo 3rd runner up, Joe Abalos 4th runner up, Bobot Navarro 5th runner up and Jojo Poblete 6th runner up.
The ladies contingent to Dubai is headed by Jella Divinagracia. Jella will defend her crown as the 2002 GCC All-Filipino Ladies’ Singles Event Champion, which she won in Qatar last year.
In the men’s team, Soberano, the 2001 GCC Men’s Tour Champion will once again try to regain the crown he won two years ago.
Boy Tuazon is confident that his delegation will capture the championship awards in both the men’s and ladies’ events.
