RICKY ZERNA IS FIRST SMC SPEED SHOOT CHALLENGE CHAMPION

NEGROS BILLIARD STABLE (NBS) ace Ricky "Bai" Zerna bested all his opposition to be declared the first San Miguel Corporation (SMC)-Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) Speed Shoot Challenge Champion late Thursday at the Bugsy's Lair Billiard Hall in Sgt. Esguerra, corner Timog, Quezon City.

With his feat, Zerna receive the top prize of P80,000 for his effort.

Zerna, a 25 year-old from Dumaguete City playing under the banner of Jonathan Sy and Christopher Palses of Negros Billiard Stable (NBS) had the quickest time in the last four players clocking a time of 1:17.38 seconds to clean up the table from 1 to 15 ball beating fellow NBS stalwart Russian Petiza with 1:139.06 seconds(runner-up), Filipino-Japanese Mike Takayama with 1:42.75 seconds (3rd place) and Joven Bustamante with 1:42.94 seconds (4th place), both player of Bugsy Promotion.

"Masuwerte lang ako kasi 'yung apat na lamang kami ay pumapasok 'yung tira ko. May pag-asa sanang manalo sina Russian at Mike kaso di pumasok ang ilang tira nila eh," said Zerna, also the 2007 Winner Take-All 10-ball champion at the Bowling Inn, Taft Avenue and Ring Game 10-Ball winner Pool Showdown at the Rizal Memorial Billiards Zone.

Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) president Ernesto Fajardo, NBS coach/manager Christoper Palses and former Fil 9-ball project director Eric Centeno witnessed the said rare-event, one of the highlight in annual SMB Octoberfest 2007.

A total of 16 cue artists attended the said affair but failed to progress in the qualifying round included current WPA 9-Ball and WPA 8-Ball Champion Ronato Alcano, 4th annual SMB RP 9-Ball Open Champion and 1st SMC-BSCP 9-Ball Ranking Tour Champ Antonio Gabica, 2007 US Bar Table 9-Ball Champion and 8-Ball Champion Warren Kiamco, 2007 BCA Enjoypool.com ruler Dennis Orcollo, former SMB Asian 9-Ball kingpin Gandy Valle among others.

Tournament director Jojo Santos Arruejo said that the next SMC billiards activities goes to Bauang, La Union on Nov.20 to 21 and Puerto Galera in Mindoro on Nov.24.

(16 player's field, the player who is the quickest time to clean up the table from No.1 to No.15 ball is declared the winner)

Champion: Ricky Zerna (P80,000/ 1:17.38 seconds)
2nd Place: Russian Petiza (P40,000/ 1:139.06 seconds)
3rd place: Mike Takayama (P15,000/ 1:42.75 seconds)
4th place: Joven Bustamante (P15,000/ 1:42.94 seconds)

(MARLON BERNARDINO).