PCGS, Southcrest lead round 1 in sports stacking

CEBU CITY (23 October 2009) — Philippine Christian Gospel School (PCGS) and PAREF Southcrest School have dominated round one of the 1st BTC Sports Stacking Challenge at Banilad Town Centre last weekend.

Round two resumes this afternoon (Saturday, Oct, 24) as the 3-month-long tournament continues to accept entrants following a strong demand that organizers noted when the games opened.

Organizers expected 40 pre-registered sports stackers from 12 schools, but close to 200 trooped to BTC last Oct. 17 to play, disclosed tournament head Francis Benedict Cutiongco.

They registered their best time in individual 3-3-3 stack, 3-6-3 stack, and cycle-to-10 stack in the event organized by Toys@Work with the support of Colours, Tutoring Club, Thirsty and Dimsum Break.

Top ranks

Frank Ethan Ong of PCGS ruled the 3-6-3 and cycle stacks clocking 5.84 and 14.43 seconds in the 7-under pre-school division, with school mate Giann Aiden Cabigas leading in 3-3-3 stack at 5.3 seconds.

In the 10-under class, Jan Therese Revilles of Southcrest recorded the best time for 3-3-3 stack with 3.43 seconds, while James Kyle Ching of PCGS led the pack in 3-6-3 stack at 4.31 seconds with school mate Jaira Yu in the cycle stack at 13.09 seconds.

Southcrest stackers Caili Carcel and Lyanna San Pedro tied on top the heap in the 3-3-3 stack for the 13-under group at 3 seconds, but San Pedro further dominated in the 3-6-3 stack at 3.69 seconds, with Kimberly Kwan of PCGS in the cycle stack at 10.65 seconds.

In the high school division, Clayton Lim of the University of Southern Philippines Foundaton (USPF) bested the rest in the 3-3-3 and cycle stacks at 3.75 and 15.94 seconds, while Maxine Caindec of St. Theresa’s College (STC) topped the 3-6-3 stack with 4.53 seconds.

The first round of the tournament also saw stackers competing from Bethany Christian School, Cebu International School (CIS), Child Development Center of Cebu (CDCC), Colegio dela Inmaculada Concepcion (CIC) and CIC-Mandaue.

The others were from Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC), PAREF Springdale School, Sacred Heart School – Jesuits (SHS-J) and Hijas de Cebu, University of Cebu (UC) and University of San Carlos (USC) North.

Boulder climbing event to promote extreme sports

CEBU CITY (22 October 2009) — Some groups in Cebu have continued to slowly promote the interest for extreme sports, like wall and boulder climbing.

In fact, a boulder climbing competition will be undertaken this weekend at Banilad Town Centre (BTC) to draw in more would-be enthusiasts.

The 1st BTC Indoor Boulder Climbing Challenge will open at 10AM on Saturday, Oct. 24, with the event’s ace climbers determined as it concludes Sunday afternoon.

It is the second in a series of BTC’s Xtreme Sports program after it hosted wall climbing and zip line rides for two weekends last Summer to start creating new interest for the sport.

“There will be more in the coming months,” noted Cerwin T. Eviota, BTC marketing director.

It was ironic that extreme sports activity faded into near oblivion just after Cebuano enthusiast Jun Vidal won the gold for boulder climbing in the 2005 Southeast Asian Climbing Federation Championship.

Other Cebu enthusiasts also won in the 2005 inter-collegiate competitions in Manila for speed climbing, and in other related national competitions.

Instead of boosting more interest for the sport, it slowly waned.

“Many of us have ‘graduated’ and have since shifted to other sports, like mountain biking and other sports,” noted Ian Sepulveda, an enthusiast who operates Center of Gravity that provides equipment and professionals for extreme sports activities.

Free shirts

But Sepulveda noted that a new generation has emerged in Cebu, particularly those in grade school, teenagers and new young professionals in their early 20’s.

“We want to give them the opportunity to be exposed to extreme sports,” he said, adding in jest: “We, Filipinos, may love basketball and other ball games, but we are (figuratively) natural coconut climbers.”

Sepulveda said he is pleased that the BTC management took initiatives to create new interest on extreme sports, especially in time for the semestral break, and has taken concrete steps to promote it.

Registration for the BTC event is only P250 per participant who gets a free souvenir shirt from Tutoring Club.

Center of Gravity has been tapped to provide the facilities.

Junior Chamber International (JCI) Cebu-Mactan Channel has maximized the event for its fourth anniversary celebration with members participating.

The challenge is divided in four age categories — elemnetary, high school, college and young professionals.

Adults will be asked to sign a waiver and declare they are physically fit, while parents will do for the minors.