2018 World Men Championships officially launched in Hong Kong

24 November, 2018

Championships

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From left: Mr. Andy Lo Yun Sum, Chairman SCAA; Karl Kwok, Chairman, Major Sports Events Committee; Mr. Timothy T. T. Fok, GBS, JP, Hon. IOC Member and President of Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China; Ms. Vivien Lau, BBS, JP, Hon. Life President of the Asian Bowling Federation, World Bowling Secretary General, and chairman of the WMC Organizing Committee and the Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress; Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-Chung, GBM, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; H.E. Sheikh Talal Mohammad Al-Sabah, President of World Bowling; Dr. Haywood Cheung, President of title sponsor The Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society; and Mr. Johnny Cheung, Chairman of title sponsor Million Tinkle Gold Trader Limited.

The 2018 Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society • Million Tinkle World Men Championships was officially declared open in a colorful opening ceremony at South China Athletic Association (SCAA) Bowling Center in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, China, Saturday evening.

At 18.55 Hong Kong time Master of Ceremony, Mr. Eric Lee (left), welcomed the attendants to the Opening Ceremony. The athletes from 47 nations then marched in according to alphabetical order, with Afghanistan leading the whole parade and the host country, Hong Kong, at the end. The march-in was followed by the national anthem of Hong Kong, China.

The event was honored by the attendance of Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-Chung (right), GBM, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Ms. Vivien Lau (left), BBS, JP, Hon. Life President of the Asian Bowling Federation, World Bowling Secretary General, and chairman of the WMC Organizing Committee and the Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress, who is hosting the quadrennial event, then extended a very warm welcome to the athletes, coaches, officials, VIPs, guests and all other spectators.

The World Men Championships is listed as ‘M’ Mark event (major sports event) by the Hong Kong Government and will be participated by nearly 400 athletes, coaches and officials.

Also addressing the ceremony were H.E. Sheikh Talal Mohammad Al-Sabah (right), President of World Bowling; Mr. Matthew Cheung; and Mr. Timothy T. T. Fok (left), GBS, JP, Hon. IOC Member and President of Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China.

The competitors’ and technical officials’ oath were taken by Hong Kong top player Eric Tseng (right) and Team Hong Kong’s head coach Ming Leung.

The Opening Ceremony continued with Sheikh Talal, Matthew Cheung, Timothy Fok, Karl Kwok, Chairman, Major Sports Events Committee; Dr. Haywood Cheung, President of title sponsor The Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society; Mr. Johnny Cheung, Chairman of title sponsor Million Tinkle Gold Trader Limited; and Mr. Andy Lo Yun Sum, Chairman SCAA; accompanied by Ms. Lau performing the “eye-dotting ceremony” (left) for the lion dance after which Mr. Matthew Cheung declared the World Men Championships officially open.

This was followed by the Lion Dance Performance (right) after which the emcee announced the official conclusion of the Opening Ceremony. At 19.25, the lions led the teams out.

Earlier on Saturday, four one-and-a-half-hour squads of official practice took place at the SCAA Bowling Center (left). The 40 lanes were dressed with the 38-foot Los Angeles pattern from the current World Bowling library of lane conditioning patterns.

The 2018 CGSE • Million Tinkle World Men Championships will be held from Nov. 23 to Dec. 5 at 40-lane South China Athletic Association (SCAA) bowling center in Hong Kong, China. The Championships will be hosted by World Bowling, bowling’s world governing body, and the Hong Kong Tenpin Bowling Congress.

After the late withdrawal of Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Sierra Leone, 266 players from the following 47 countries participate: Afghanistan, Australia, Belarus, Bermuda, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, DPR North Korea, England, Finland, France, Germany, Guam, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau (China), Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, USA, Uzbekistan, and the host country Hong Kong, China.

Maximum six men per country will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in Singles, Doubles, Trios, five-player Teams, All-Events and Masters in the 11-day competition (Nov. 25-Dec. 5).

Bowlingdigital will provide on-site coverage of the 2018 World Men Championships featuring reports, results and photos commencing with the 2018 World Bowling Coaching Conference “Youth Development and Coaching” at the Hong Kong Sports Institute Nov. 20-21, followed by the Opening Ceremonies (Nov. 24), the preliminaries in Singles, Doubles, Trios (Nov. 24-30), the Team preliminaries (Dec. 1-4), during which the Singles and Doubles Finals will be contested, followed by the Trios and Team Finals, all the way through to the Masters finals (Dec. 4-5).

For more information on the 2018 CGSE • Million Tinkle World Men Championships, please read our Championships Preview.

2018 CGSE • Million Tinkle World Men Championships Schedule
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2018 World Men Championships Preview

Herbert Bickel