PABCON announces final standings of the 2008 regional rankings
12/19/08
Pan American Bowling Confederation President José Guandique (pictured right) from El Salvador has announced the final standings in the PABCON regional rankings. Since 2006 ranking season, the PABCON, formerly the WTBA American Zone, is divided geographically into five regions, North, Central, Caribbean, South 1 and South 2.
The top 12 men and the top 12 women from each of the five regions qualified for the "American Zone Ranking Final" to be held from February 18th to 22nd, 2009 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
The 60 male and 60 female qualifiers will determine the 8 men and 8 women, who will represent the PABCON in the 2009 World Ranking Masters at Oltremare Bowling Arena in Naples, Italy from April 27 through May 3, 2009.
The North region ranking featured 105 men and 51 women from Canada and United States of America, who could earn ranking points in national championships (Canada only), the Tournament of The Americas, The Punta Cana Open and the Men's World Championships and the PABCON Women's Championship, respectively.
Surprisingly, Valerie Calberry and Mark Buffa, both of Canada, finished atop the women's and men's rankings regardless of the dominance of Team USA in the MWC in Thailand and the PWC in Chile.
Calberry cashed 107 points in the Canadian National Championships and added 150 in the ToA to win the women's North region ranking 2008 with 257 points. Kelly Kulick, United States, who won five out of six gold medals in the PABCON Women's Championship, and Canadian national champion Isabelle Rioux, were tied for second place with 200 points.
Buffa received 180 ranking points in the national championships and got 90 in the Men's Worlds to beat out compatriot David Simard for the men's No. 1 spot, 270 to 267. George Palumbo, United States, finished third with his 247 points from the Punta Cana Open.
PBA super star Walter Ray Williams Jr., United States, received 200 points for his three gold medals in the world championships and tied Canadian champion Ryan Reid for 15ht place.
Sofia Granda, Guatemala, and Ernesto Franco, Mexico, led the rankings in the Central region featuring 307 men and 112 women from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
2001 World Games champion Granda cashed points in all four events in the women ranking and despite only the three highest, her national championship (1st place), the PABCON Women's Championship and the Campeonato de Centroamérica (Cambowl) counted, Granda led the women's field with 554 points. Costa Rica's Marie Ramirez and Viviana Delgado finished in second and third place with 534 and 496 points, respectively.
The top six in the Central region men's ranking came from Mexico. Franco led the pack though he did not compete in the World Championships with 608 points, with Enrique Calvo in second place with 552 and Benjamin Corona third with 495.
The Caribbean region featured 149 men and 47 women from Aruba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Both leaders came from the Dominican Republic.
Aumi Guerra, winner of the 2008 American Zone Ranking Final, chalked up 387 points by winning her national championship and including 187 points from the PABCON Women's Championship ranking to lead the women's division by 28 points. Her fellow country woman Paola Mendez (349) and Annie Henriquez (346) landed in second and third position.
On the men's side, long-time national team member Rolando Antonio Sebelen got a total of 500 points in the national championships, the MWC and the Punta Cana Open. Jose Estrada, also from the Dominican Republic, was second with 467 points, followed by Luis Rodriguez, Puerto Rico, in third with 449.
Luis Olivo from Venezuela led the 186 men and Edissa Andrade, Panama, led the 101 women in the South Region 1 including players from Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
Olivo combined points from the Venezuelan national championships, the men's worlds and the South American Championships for 535 ranking point total to finish 37 points ahead of compatriot Ildemaro Ruiz, who was second with 498 points, despite cashing more than 600 points in four events. Third place belonged to Colombia's Andres Gomez with 450.
Andrade won the Panama National Championships and cashed another 375 points in the SAC and Cambowl to win the women's ranking with 575 points. Sisters Alicia and Karen Marcano from Venezuela finished in second and third place with 546 and 518, respectively.
Two Argentineans finished atop the South region 2 rankings featuring 154 men and 74 women from Ecuador Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.
2008 American Zone Ranking final men's champion, Lucas Legnani, used a strong performance in three tournaments, the Punta Cana Open, Dom. Rep., the StriXe International, Chile and the Torneo For Fan, Argentina to win the me's ranking with 590 points. Adrian Reyes and Harold Galmez, both from Chile, landed in second and third place with 525 and 492 points, respectively.
Legnani's compatriot Vanessa Rinke topped the women's ranking with 482 points. Andrea Rojas, Chile, was second with 435 points, with Roberta Rodrigues, Brazil, in third, 400.
North Men
North Women
Central Men
Central Women
Caribbean Men
Caribbean Women
South 1 Men
South 1 Women
South 2 Men
South 2 Women
2008 PABCON Rankings
Pan American Bowling Confederation President José Guandique (pictured right) from El Salvador has announced the final standings in the PABCON regional rankings. Since 2006 ranking season, the PABCON, formerly the WTBA American Zone, is divided geographically into five regions, North, Central, Caribbean, South 1 and South 2. The top 12 men and the top 12 women from each of the five regions qualified for the "American Zone Ranking Final" to be held from February 18th to 22nd, 2009 in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
The 60 male and 60 female qualifiers will determine the 8 men and 8 women, who will represent the PABCON in the 2009 World Ranking Masters at Oltremare Bowling Arena in Naples, Italy from April 27 through May 3, 2009.
The North region ranking featured 105 men and 51 women from Canada and United States of America, who could earn ranking points in national championships (Canada only), the Tournament of The Americas, The Punta Cana Open and the Men's World Championships and the PABCON Women's Championship, respectively.
Surprisingly, Valerie Calberry and Mark Buffa, both of Canada, finished atop the women's and men's rankings regardless of the dominance of Team USA in the MWC in Thailand and the PWC in Chile.
Calberry cashed 107 points in the Canadian National Championships and added 150 in the ToA to win the women's North region ranking 2008 with 257 points. Kelly Kulick, United States, who won five out of six gold medals in the PABCON Women's Championship, and Canadian national champion Isabelle Rioux, were tied for second place with 200 points.
Buffa received 180 ranking points in the national championships and got 90 in the Men's Worlds to beat out compatriot David Simard for the men's No. 1 spot, 270 to 267. George Palumbo, United States, finished third with his 247 points from the Punta Cana Open.
PBA super star Walter Ray Williams Jr., United States, received 200 points for his three gold medals in the world championships and tied Canadian champion Ryan Reid for 15ht place.
Sofia Granda, Guatemala, and Ernesto Franco, Mexico, led the rankings in the Central region featuring 307 men and 112 women from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
2001 World Games champion Granda cashed points in all four events in the women ranking and despite only the three highest, her national championship (1st place), the PABCON Women's Championship and the Campeonato de Centroamérica (Cambowl) counted, Granda led the women's field with 554 points. Costa Rica's Marie Ramirez and Viviana Delgado finished in second and third place with 534 and 496 points, respectively.
The top six in the Central region men's ranking came from Mexico. Franco led the pack though he did not compete in the World Championships with 608 points, with Enrique Calvo in second place with 552 and Benjamin Corona third with 495.
The Caribbean region featured 149 men and 47 women from Aruba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Both leaders came from the Dominican Republic.
Aumi Guerra, winner of the 2008 American Zone Ranking Final, chalked up 387 points by winning her national championship and including 187 points from the PABCON Women's Championship ranking to lead the women's division by 28 points. Her fellow country woman Paola Mendez (349) and Annie Henriquez (346) landed in second and third position.
On the men's side, long-time national team member Rolando Antonio Sebelen got a total of 500 points in the national championships, the MWC and the Punta Cana Open. Jose Estrada, also from the Dominican Republic, was second with 467 points, followed by Luis Rodriguez, Puerto Rico, in third with 449.
Luis Olivo from Venezuela led the 186 men and Edissa Andrade, Panama, led the 101 women in the South Region 1 including players from Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
Olivo combined points from the Venezuelan national championships, the men's worlds and the South American Championships for 535 ranking point total to finish 37 points ahead of compatriot Ildemaro Ruiz, who was second with 498 points, despite cashing more than 600 points in four events. Third place belonged to Colombia's Andres Gomez with 450.
Andrade won the Panama National Championships and cashed another 375 points in the SAC and Cambowl to win the women's ranking with 575 points. Sisters Alicia and Karen Marcano from Venezuela finished in second and third place with 546 and 518, respectively.
Two Argentineans finished atop the South region 2 rankings featuring 154 men and 74 women from Ecuador Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.
2008 American Zone Ranking final men's champion, Lucas Legnani, used a strong performance in three tournaments, the Punta Cana Open, Dom. Rep., the StriXe International, Chile and the Torneo For Fan, Argentina to win the me's ranking with 590 points. Adrian Reyes and Harold Galmez, both from Chile, landed in second and third place with 525 and 492 points, respectively.
Legnani's compatriot Vanessa Rinke topped the women's ranking with 482 points. Andrea Rojas, Chile, was second with 435 points, with Roberta Rodrigues, Brazil, in third, 400.
Complete 2008 PABCON Rankings
North Men
North Women
Central Men
Central Women
Caribbean Men
Caribbean Women
South 1 Men
South 1 Women
South 2 Men
South 2 Women