Django, Robocop out to reclaim World Cup of Pool title

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/07/2008 11:14 PM

Printer-friendly version | Send to friend

Franciso “Django” Bustamante and Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo will team up in an attempt to bring home honors for the Philippines in the PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool tournament which runs from October 7 to 12 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Bustamante and Orcollo will compete against 31 other pairs from around the globe in the week-long tournament that offers a total prize of $250,000, including the winners' purse of $60,000.

"I think we have a strong chance to recover that World Cup," Bustamante said on a report posted on the tournament’s official Website worldcupofpool.com.

Bustamante's partnership with pool legend Efren "Bata" Reyes won the Philippines the title in the inaugural staging of the event in 2006.

They, however, lost the crown in 2007 to eventual champion Fu Jianbo and Li He-wen of China in the quarterfinals.

Orcollo, the World Pool-Billiard Association's top-ranked player, is looking at extending his winning streak.

He has so far won a string of major tournaments this year -- the San Miguel Beer-Quezon City 9-Ball Championship, the All-Japan Open, the 2008 Qatar International 9-Ball Open and China leg of the 2008 Guinness Tour.

"I hope I could continue my good performance, and with Django, I'm confident of our chances," said Orcollo.

The RP duo will take on Denmark ’s Martin Larsen and Kasper Kristoffersen on October 9, two days after the tournament opening.

This, they said, will give them ample time to scout their opponents.

“We’re kind of lucky to have that schedule. At least we’ll have more time to practice, get accustomed to the weather and see how the other teams play,” said Bustamante in an article posted on SportsNews.ph.

The Filipinos’ bid is supported by Senate President Manny Villar’s Villards: Tulong sa Pagsulong ng Philippine Sports, the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Puyat Sports and Bugsy Promotions.

A win over Denmark will move Team Villards-Philippines to a round-of-16 encounter against the winner of the match between Malaysia of Ibrahim Bin Amir and Lee Poh Soon, and Russia of former European no.1 Konstantin Stepanov and Ruslan Chinahov.

A team needs to win five straight matches to win the World Cup of Pool.

The other countries competing in the tournament are Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysian, Chinese-Taipei, Thailand, Vietnam, Canada, the United States, Australia, Peru, Qatar, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Malta, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, and two teams from the host nation. Dennis Gasgonia, abs-cbnNEWS.com

as of 10/08/2008 7:44 PM