16th October, Manila: Top-seed, Kai Hai-Yuan of Chinese Taipei outclassed Thailand's Kritchawat Jampakao, 252-191 in the final stepladder match to bag the 9th PBAP-Storm International Classic title which ended Monday afternoon.

Kao, who topped both the the 24-game preliminary rounds, set the lanes ablazed with a superb performance in the 8-game semifinals earlier today to go into the stepladder finals as top-seed with 1800 total pinfalls, just 1 pin ahead of Kritchawat Jampakao of Thailand.

The champion opened accounts with six strikes-in-a-row to take a commanding lead over challenger and winner of the second match, Kritchawat Jampakao. Despite an open frame in the seventh, Kao romped home a comfortable winner with 252-191 to end a two-year drought after winning the Asian Championship Masters Gold medal in 2004.

Kritchawat settled for second despite defeating third-seed, Purvis Granger of the Philippines and winner of the first match, Adrian Ang of Malaysia, 211-209-181 before meeting the Taiwanese.

In the first match amongst fourth-seed, Adrian Ang, Yang Nien-Hua of Chinese Taipei and Filipino, Markwin Tee, Ang easily took the match, 256-222-199 before having his charge stopped by the Thai in the second match.

Chinese Taipei's Wang Tien-Fu missed the stepladder finishing seventh with 1771, 52 pins adrift sixth-placed, Markwin Tee. The highest lady finisher was Chinese Taipei's Li Shiau-Ping in tenth position. The champion took home Peso150,000 (approx. US$3,000) while the runner-up, Kritchawat won Peso80,000 (US$1,600) and Granger Peso40,000 (US$800).

Photos courtesy of Pearl Bowling Centre.

15th October, Manila: 2005 ABF Tour Philippines champion, Apple Posadas and Chinese Taipei's Tsai Hsin-Yi had easy victory to claim the Youth and Classified divison Masters titles of the 9th PBAP-Storm International Classic on Sunday evening.

Posadas led a Filipino 1-2-3 finish in the Youth finals with a total of 1750, 14 pins ahead of Manila SEA Games Masters Gold medalist, Markwin Tee in second with 1736 while youngster, Collins Jose settled for third with 1719.

Singapore's Derek Chan, who only led the first game, finished fourth with 1717. The lead traded hands several times throughout the 8-game finals between the champion, Tee and JC Tupaz and despite Tee scoring 279 in his final game, Posadas also posted identical score in her final game to seal the victory.

Tupaz ended up in fifth spot with 1681 ahead of the champion's sister, Lara Posadas in sixth position with 1622. Singapore's Lenny Lim, Chiam Yew Beng, Niqui Bernabe and Carlos Candano rounded up the top 10 from seventh to tenth positions respectively.

Meanwhile, Asian Championship Trios Gold medalist, Tsai Hsin-Yi emerged the Classified division champion after easily defeating challenger, Li Shiau-Ping, 224-167 in the final stepladder match.

Li, who edged fifth-seed, Chu Yu-Chieh and sixth-seed, Tang Joh Six of Malaysia, 199-193-192 in the first match, also defeated second-seed, Angelo Constantino of the Philippines and third-seed, Wang Yu-Ling, 202-196-185 in the second match before going down to the champion.

The Open division will contest their 8-game semifinals Monday, 16th October at the end of which the top 6 will make the cut for the stepladder finals.

Photos courtesy of Pearl Bowling Centre.

14th October, Manila: 2004 Asian Championship Masters Gold medalist, Kao Hai-Yuan of Chinese Taipei grabbed the lead of the 9th PBAP-Storm International Classic at the end of the third block at Peral Bowling Centre late Saturday evening.

Kao posted an impressive 1845 in the third block to moved up from fifth on a 24-game total of 5376 to lead the field of top 24 into the semifinals. First block leader and Filipino legend, Paeng Nepomuceno finished second with 5310 ahead of overnight leader, Adrian Ang of Malaysia in third with 5299.

The highest 8-game series recorded after three days of the preliminary round was acheived by this year's Vietnam Open champion, Purvis Granger of USA. The American, who struggled in the first block put in a better second block and improving from 43rd to 21st position. A scintillating 1937 hauled Granger up to fourth with a total of 5255.

Chinese Taipei's Hsieh Yu-Ping and Thailand's Krichawat Jampakao finished fifth and sixth positions with 5250 and 5229 respectively. Newly-crowned Chinese Taipei Open Masters champion, Chien Hsiu-Lan was the highest lady qualifier in seventh with 5211.

Chien also topped the Classified division with a 24-game scratch total of 5019 to lead a Taiwanese 1-2-3 finish. Compatriot, Wang Yu-Ling and Li Shiau-Ping took second and third spots with 4999 and 4971.

In the Youth division, Manila SEA Games Masters Gold medalist, Markwin Tee, who finished eighth in the Open division, led the top 16 into tomorrow's finals with a total of 5208 with Singapore's Chiam Yew Beng a close second on 4896 and Chinese Taipei's Lo Cheng-Hung third with 4808.

The top 24 Open and top 24 Classified qualifiers made the cut for another 8-games semifinals Sunday, 15th October. The top 6 at the end of the semifinals will proceed to the stepladder finals to determine this year's champion.

Photos courtesy of MTBC.

13th October, Manila: AMF World Cup bound, Adrian Ang of Malaysia, took over the lead of the 9th PBAP-Storm International Classic at the end of the second block which concluded at Pearl Bowling Centre on Friday evening.

The 18-year-old youngest-ever Malaysian to compete in the 42nd AMF World Cup next month, scorched the lanes with a scintillating 1811 in the 8-game second block to top the leaderboard with a total of 3599.

Chinese Taipei's Hsieh Yu-Ping, who was second in the first block, move one notch up to second with a total of 3591 ahead of first block leader, Paeng Nepomuceno of the Philippines in third with 3570. The highest placed female bowler and Asian Championship Trios Gold medalist, Chien Hsiu-Lan took fourth spot with 3570.

2004 Asian Championship Masters Gold medalist, Kao Hai-Yuan maintained his form to round up the top 5 in fifth position with 3531 while the Filipino, Markwin Tee, who posted the highest 8-game series of 1836, moved up from 40th position to ninth with 3432.

Chien also took over the lead in the Classified division with her scratch score of 1672 in the second block to amassed a 16-game total of 3426. Overnight leader and teammate, Wang Yu-Ling dropped to second with 3271.

Filipino, Markwin Tee also grabbed the lead in the Youth division with 3432 after the highest 1836 second block series. Singapore's Chiam Yew Beng moved up to second with 3264 ahead of JC Tupaz of the Philippines in third with 3264.

The third and final block of 8 games in the preliminary rounds will be played tomorrow (Saturday 14th October) with the top 16 in the Youth division qualifying for the finals while the top 24 from both the Classified and Open divisions will proceed to the semifinals on Sunday, 15th October.

Photos courtesy of MTBC.

12th October, Manila: Four-time AMF World Cup champion, Paeng Nepomuceno of the Philippines staked his claim on the title of the 9th PBAP-Storm International Classic underway at Pearl Bowling Centre when he topped the first block of 8 games.

Paeng knocked down a total of 1875 to lead Squad A at the start of the classic by a margin of 43 pins. Asian Championship Trios Gold medalist, Wang Yu-Ling of Chinese Taipei, managed a second-place finish with 1832 ahead of teammate, Hsieh Yu-Ping in third with 1794.

AMF World Cup bound, Adrian Ang of Malaysia did well to top Squad B with a total of 1788 and 65 pins ahead of Singapore's David Wong, who downed 1723. But Ang's score was just good enough for fourth spot overall when Squad C ended the first day of competition.

2004 Asian Championship Masters Gold medalist, Kao Hai-Yuan and Pan Yu-Fen finished fifth and sixth positions with 1769 and 1764 respectively ahead of Filipino, Benny Dytoc in seventh with 1764.

Wang also finished in pole position in the Classified division with her scratch score of 1768. Taiwanese youngster, Lo Cheng-Hung finished top in the Youth division with 1650 followed by Filipina, Apple Posadas in second with 1631 and JC Tupaz third with 1615.

The bowlers will bowl another 8 games in the second block tomorrow (13th October) and the final block on Saturday, 14th October. The top 16 from the Youth division will make the cut for the finals while the top 24 from both the Classified and Open division will prodeed to the semifinals.

The top 6 in the Classified and Open division will make the cut for the stepladder finals on Sunday 16th October.

Photos courtesy of MTBC.