World Champions Headline Guinness 9-Ball Tour 2008

February 27, 2008, at Singapore – ESPN STAR Sports’ Guinness 9-Ball Tour 2008 will feature two World Champions as the field is announced for Asia’s premier pool competition. Philippines’ Alex Pagulayan (2004 WPA World Pool Champion) and Chinese Taipei’s Chia-Ching Wu (2005 WPA World Pool Champion) are expected to lead the charge as 24 of Asia’s top pool masters cue off in the opening leg of the Tour in Chinese Taipei from 29 February – 2 March 2008, to be held at the Taipei Gymnasium.

Organised by ESPN STAR Sports with Guinness as the title sponsor, the Tour attracts Asia’s top cuemasters with Asian Professional Billiards Union (APBU) -sanctioned players from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Thailand, India, China and Chinese Taipei taking part.

Chinese Taipei will be looking to repeat last year’s dominance of the Tour with a strong line-up comprising of Wu, last year’s Overall Tour Champion Jung-Lin Chang, Pin-Yi Ko (2007 WPA World Junior Champion), Ching-Shun Yang (2007 Tour Grand Finals Semi-finalist), Hung-Hsiang Wang and Pei-Wei Chang. Countering the challenge will be top-ranked players such as Philippines’ Pagulayan, Joven Bustamante, Jeffrey De Luna, Antonio Gabica and Marlon Manalo and Indonesia’s hot prospects of A. Budi Sumarno, Siauw Wieto and Ricky Yang.

Representing Malaysia yet again is Ibrahim Bin Amir, together with compatriot and Alan Tan, while Singapore has fielded Tour Toh Lian Han and newcomer Aaron Koh. Carrying the flag for Japan and South Korea are Satoshi Kawabata and Ryu Seung Woo respectively as Hong Kong’s Han Xiao-Xiang and Vietnam’s Do Hoang Quan will be looking to do their countries proud. Rounding off the talented field are Thailand’s Nitiwat Kanjanasri and India’s Sumit Talwar.

The Guinness 9-Ball Tour is sanctioned by the Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) and organized by ESPN STAR Sports’ Event Management Group (EMG). Taipei City Government is the co-organiser for the Chinese Taipei leg. Guinness is the title sponsor for the Tour. The local sanctioning body is Chinese Taipei Billiards Association. Iwan Simonis and Aramith supply the official tablecloth and official balls respectively. Brunswick provides the official pool table while Predator is the official cue. BCLN is the official apparel supplier. The Official Hotel is the Sherwood Taipei. STAR Sports is the official broadcaster.

Further information can be obtained at www.g9bt.com