Some CNMI bowlers expected to return Thursday

Several members of the CNMI delegation to the 19th Asian Intercity Bowling Championship in Jakarta are expected to return to home soil this week after a respectable stint.

This according to Saipan Bowling Association president Jerry Tan, who said Sunday that the first batch of players will arrive on Thursday.

Tan, who expressed that he was pleased with the group’s performance—citing the delegation improves every year in the international competition—said other members will travel to their native land to visit family and friends before returning to Saipan.

“As we continue to improve…that will make our team more competitive. So I think the performance of the CNMI team in this Intercity Championship—we participate every year—we continue to improve. Each time we go out, we get better,” he said about the performance.

Serving as ambassadors of the CNMI at the competition were Simon Manacop, Mark “The Shark” Halstead, Joseph Sablan, and John Santos of Team Saipan, and brothers Raymond and Ruselle Zapanta, Raymond Angeles, and Francisco Barja of Team Capitol Hill.

Manacop had the best outing among the crew, finishing 26th overall, making his big splash in the men’s singles competition as he broke into the top 10.

In all, 72 bowlers from 18 countries took the lanes of the Jaya Ancol Bowling Center by storm in the men’s competition. The CNMI did not have a women’s team.

Meanwhile, the Philippines’ Cecilia Yap and Purvis Granger of Paranaque City captured the women’s and men’s Masters gold medals, leading their team in their successful bid of retaining the overall champions’ title.

The 29-year-old Yap was on a roll throughout the tournament, sweeping all gold medals in the women’s competition with convincing wins in the singles, doubles with teammate Liza Clutario, and the All Events before taking the Masters with 3,633 pins. Clutario took silver with 3,421 pins

Granger was in a tight battle with Zulmazran Zulkifli of Shah Alam, but managed to pull away in the final game for gold. Zulmazran finished with silver for the second straight year while Daegu’s Lee Tae Ju took bronze.

Paranaque retained their overall champions’ title with six gold, three silver, and a bronze. Host city, Jakarta came in second with two gold, three silver, and two bronze, while Hong Kong came in third with a gold, two silver, and four bronze.

The tournament began last Wednesday and concluded Sunday night with a farewell banquet.

Next year, the tournament will be held closer to home for CNMI bowlers as the 20th Asian Intercity Bowling Championship will be hosted by Tamuning, Guam.

The CNMI delegation was also accompanied by manager and coach Ross Zapanta. Tan was not able to accompany the team as he had another commitment with the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s coaches and players introductory clinic over the weekend.

The tournament is officially sanctioned by the International Bowling Federation, the World Tenpin Bowling Association, and the Asian Bowling Federation-the worldwide governing bodies of tenpin bowling.

For more information about the tournament, log on to the ABF website at www.abf-online.org.