For the 2nd consecutive year, the Philippines will hold one of the most prestigious tournaments in pool/billiards heaven - THE WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP. It's going to kick-off with the elimination rounds on Nov. 3 and work it's way up to the final match on Nov. 11 at the Araneta Coliseum.



All of the big names in pool will be arriving for this very big tournament. Players like Johnny Archer, Mika Immonen, Ralf Souquet, the very colorful Earl Strickland and a lot more from around the world will be stepping on Manila soil to battle it out for this title. Even the Prince of Brunei will be joining the tournament. Our country is fielding it's best players to assert the dominance of the Philippines in cue sports and once more put it at the top of the heap. Defending champion Ronnie Alcano has prepared well, the legendary Efren Reyes will surely thrill everyone, Django Bustamante has asserted his hunger for this title, 2005 WPC winner Alex Pagulayan is all set and so are the other talented players the Philippines has on their stable.


I know pool is not necessarily an action packed sport. But there in one thing worth capturing in pool.....EMOTION. Emotions from breaking the rack, emotions from missing a shot, emotions from winning or losing a match, emotions of desperation or excitement, emotions from the crowd.


So...with all of this, is anyone going to watch and shoot during the event? I know i will. Anyone care to join :)

Allan,

will all the events be held in Araneta and how much is the fee?

Red...Yup...all in Araneta. Though there will also be some qualifying tournaments during the last week of Oct. in Quezon City which is free admission for everyone.

For Araneta, not quite sure but SM is selling tickets. I'm trying to have someone sponsor my entrance hehehe. :)

Allen,

This is the event sponsored by Motolite?

Ivan not quite sure bro...i'll check! :) You work for Motolite bro

I used to work for Ramcar Group a few years back.. I'll try to get in touch with them, baka may free tickets :D hehehe

Ivan....yup. Motolite is a sponsor. Nice. Maybe you can try to squeeze off some photo passes for access to the TV Tables :D. I'm trying my darnest to to contact a friend who has connections to the organizer.

Hahaha I'll try my best :D

Allen - Talked to my former officemate, I think he can get me tickets.. Not sure yet how many.. Will let you know, I have your mobile :)

YAHOO!!! :) Let's shoot Ivan. For that I will treat you out to lunch :)

Hahaha you don't have to but pwede rin :D :D :D hahaha

Oh by the way...sorry this thread has no shots........yet. Stay tuned :D

Ivan, Allen. Pwede bang sumabit dyan? :D

Ronald....sure...the more the merrier!!! :) Let's ask Ivan if he could get free tickets. If not, no big deal. I think the ticket prices are pretty reasonable. And besides, the legendary champ EFREN is there. That's the only reason I need to justify going there. :D

I think remember Nino C saying that he's a pool nut too. Hey Nino...wanna join? :)

I think remember Nino C saying that he's a pool nut too. Hey Nino...wanna join? :)

When is this going down?

When is this going down?

WPC 2007 is from Nov. 3 - Nov. 11

can I join you sir? pleazzzzzzzzzze

Aaron...Everyone is free to join...just not sure if entrance will be free though hehehe :D
Dude...your 80-200 is perfect for this!!!

can i join you guys? love to shoot some pool shooters=)

Very nice to cover this event. We should support the Philippine team. I remember taking pics last year when Ronnie Alcano won the event. Hopefully we wil be able to beat the taiwanese who are taking the crown from us. Count me in guys :)

And the list goes on....yehey!!! Guys free or with fee entrance, I hope we can all go. Maybe we can organize and EB :D

Teka, no feedback from Motolite yet ha!!!

It's ok Ivan...free or with fee, I'm go! Hope the others are ok with this as well :)

@Ivan & Allen

whether its free or with fee, Im in also..hehehe :Grin:
shall we start the listing...hehehe

Aaron...still haven't heard from Ivan. Will try to text him or drop him a PM. But nonetheless, I going too. You want to meet up and shoot :)

Allen, ill try to join you guys...:)

just saw this thread again only today.. I forgot to update the thread, Motolite didn't push through with sponsorship of the event.. So i guess we have to pay for entrance :( Sorry guys :(

When is the competition?

WPC is from Nov. 3 - 11 at the Araneta Colisium. Right now, qualifying tournaments are being held at Star Paper in Quezon City. It will run until tomorrow Oct. 31. Entrance here is free but expect the venue to be jampacked.

I suggest going on Nov. 3 so that all the players will be there. Based from last year's experience, some players leave the country immediately when eliminated.

Ivan...no regrets bro...the entrance is well worth it!!! :) So are you going also, maybe we could start an EB for this :)

Allen, ill try to join you guys...:)

Sama na Gid :)

@Allen - yeah, i want to go :) Lets set up an EB :)

Guys I have the ticket prices....P800, P500, P300, P150 and P50...The P800 tickets get access to the TV tables. Not quite sure about the rest. Was really different from last year's WPC at PICC.

@Allen - I' sorry, didn't quite get it exactly.. which do you recommend then to be able to shoot farely good? :)

TV tables are the ones that are broadcasted on TV...that area is enclosed. Then there is an area for the other non-televised matches. The P800 ticket ensures access to the enclosed TV tables. No need for flash here as lighting is good. Last year I just bought tickets for access to the non-televised tables but managed to get inside the enclosed televised area. But that was at PICC...not quite sure how it will be in Araneta.

By the way...this was just texted to me...Efren Reyes will play in the opening televised match...now that is something to look forward to.

Uy, game!!!!
When do we shoot? :)

Nov. 3 are you ok with that?

How about Aaron, Gid, Ronald, Alan S....are you guys ok on Nov. 3

saturday, i'll text you bro if i can.. but most likely i can make it that day:)

Ok...so that makes 2 of us. Games kick-off at 11:30 AM at Araneta on Nov.3. That's the start of the round robin elims. Maybe we could meet at Gateway Mall at 10:30 AM so we have enough time to get some tickets and scout the place.

How about the others? :D

Got it Allen. Will confirm to you probably tomorrow :)

Hoping as well the others can join :)

WPC 2007 Ticket prices - http://www.poolphilippines.com/content/view/106/80/ :Grin:

Guys I cant make it on Nov 3 ill try again just in case there will be another get together during the competition. Have fun and post pics right away when you can. Enjoy!!

@brian...sorry for the late post...sure bro you can join us...PM me bro :)

@ronald, aaron...are you guys go for Nov. 3? PM if you want to go so we can arrange our meeting spot. :)

@ Ivan and Gid...bro are you guys go for saturday also?

Hi guys! I was able to go during the first day of eliminations had so much fun shooting. I also had the chance to meet one of DPP Iloilo's shooters, Manjo Uy. Great to meet you bro. The audience turn-out was ok since the first match had Efren Reyes going up against Uchigaki (forgot the first name). Enough talk and I'll just post some shots.

"Battlefield"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2314/1867389584_7a46759eb0.jpg

If golf has Augusta, then this has got to be the "Green Monster" of Pool. The table where millions around the globe watch you as you slug it out with the world's best.

What every player who's in WPC is doing...

" Visualize & Win"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2296/1867386960_52d5a5a1cd.jpg

The only reason you'll ever need to watch WPC live

"Champ"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2339/1867408838_ecf08746f0.jpg

wow great pics Allen. So is it ok to shoot there or do we stil have to get a permit? Im trying to get 1 but if I dont need to then Ill just go straight. ! love the 2nd pic. Thanks for sharing

Hi alan. It's perfectly ok. They enforce a "No Flash Photography" rule though. So your wide apperture zooms will come in handy. My widest was a 5.6 so I really had to jack up the ISO between 800 - 1600. Thanks bro and I have more to come...lots of action shots, nose picking, ear cleaning...you get the picture hahaha :D

No WPC is complete without her...the hottest pool referee in the world :)

"Keeping Watch"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/1867411528_9114f8f7be.jpg

Allen, can you bring your DSLR cameras inside if you don't have a press pass, ID or any document identifying you as member of the media?

Araneta Coliseum has a strict policy against bringing cameras in, especially DSLR. I learned that the hard way during the UAAP basketball games.

@ ALLEN - Very nice pics bro:) More pare!:)

@Dondi...they weren't strict for WPC...a lot of people were bringing in SLRs and telephotos without any hitches :)

@ ALLEN - Very nice pics bro:) More pare!:)

Nice meeting you bro...and where are your pics??? :)

No WPC is complete without her...the hottest pool referee in the world :)

"Keeping Watch"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/1867411528_9114f8f7be.jpg

Allen- Hope you could show the front shot... how hot this referee is...:D

While the games were being played, watchful eyes from above keep tab with the action

"The Pool Gods Watch Above"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/1866579819_081658da8c.jpg

Allen- Hope you could show the front shot... how hot this referee is...:D

Master Joel nice of you to visit...I will have one ready for you by tomorrow morning bro...plus some action shots :D

Master Joel nice of you to visit...I will have one ready for you by tomorrow morning bro...plus some action shots :D

Joel lang Sir Allen- Also request pakilakihan yung pics...blurry eyes na ako eh...:) Thanks!!! also more of Bata... a portrait of this master is worth for keeps...:)

Joel...i'm afraid your eyes might hurt even more when I blow these up because of the noise hehehe :)
but sure...i'll edit them tonight bro. And yes, I plan to do a mean portrait of Bata...I just haven't figured out how to go about it :D

This guys was Reyes' tormentor during the elimination stages. Guy named Uchigaki from Japan. Played very consistenly and packs a mean break. This was the biggest upset that day with him winning against the Magician 9-2

"On the Snap"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2123/1894134286_ab67b67313.jpg

A tribute to the 2006 WPC Champion - Ronnie Alcano

"Getting Ready"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2223/1893229551_3af5f2a023.jpg

"Carom of the 2"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2040/1894037306_4d2df7c308.jpg

"Dead Stroke"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/1894049782_436df0c759.jpg

"For the Win"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2049/1893247277_7092cb9721.jpg

ei allen, up to when itong 2rnament na to? :)

Sir Jojo how are you? Tournament is until Sunday Nov. 11 :)

ei allen, musta na... si jojo to, nakikitype lang :Scared:.... nov 11....hmmm sana makapunta kami.... ganda ng kuha mo ah....

uy...sana nga bro ako makapunta din. Teka mag post pa ako :)

Here's one from another match. Ceri Worts vs. Tony Drago.

"Anxiety"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2073/1921876524_609788aa88.jpg

"One More Rack...Please"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2056/1921048883_120fda9f47.jpg

This one I tried playing during PP. Tried to get that newspaper/tabloid look and feel.

"Gaga Gabica sa Taliba"

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/1921878050_2c530ee258.jpg

Here is a sample pic of the "Volcano"

More pics are at azbilliards.com photo gallery. Hope you guys like it. :)

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/9832/dsc0187copyaf6.jpg

Another pic... Django Bustamante :)

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6615/dsc0814wv2.jpg

The 2007 Champion Daryl Peach shoots while Ronnie "the Volcano" Alcano watches.
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3226/dsc0454br6.jpg