World Youth Bowling Championships: Singapore Keglers Return Winners

Singapore Keglers Return Winners

3^rd July, Bangkok – Bernice Lim started with an impressive Step 1 of the Masters final with a perfect game of 300 during her 2^nd game of Step 1. Her perfect score help to cover some ground when she bowled a low 169 during game 5, however she managed to secure a spot on the top 8, along with team mate New Hui Fen.

It proved difficult in Step 2 as both Lim and New failed to hold onto their positions as Dayang Khairuniza of Malaysia managed to recover and nudge her way into third seed, pushing our Singaporeans down a position. This resulted in Lim and New in fourth and fifth position, to add to the drama, they finished with a tied score of 6421 total pin falls where they had to bowl a one ball throw tie breaker against each other which eventually saw Lim qualify to the finals.

Lim faced off with first seed, Jacqueline J Sijore of Malasia. Sijore played an impressive game starting with 4 strikes in a row, while Lim finished the game with 2 open frames to finish 171 – 228. Lim earns herself the bronze medal for the Girls Masters.

For the first time in the World Youth Championships, the entire team will come back with a medal for the different events. The total medal tally for the team is 3 silver and 3 bronze for this year’s championships.

Wee Kim Wee Badminton Challenge Trophy

Former National Stars lead Arena Team to fifth straight Wee Kim Wee Badminton Challenge Trophy

1 July 2012 - Former Singapore SEA Games silver medallist Hendri Saputra and Hendra Wijaya led Arena Team to a 4-1 victory over the Singapore Management University (SMU) team in the Open Team event finals of the Wee Kim Wee Badminton Challenge Trophy 2012 held on Sunday 1 July 2012 at The Arena Country Club Sports Hall.

Into its tenth year, the tournament also witnessed overwhelming response from the schools for the Boys’ and Girls’ team events with 28 teams participating in the Boys’ event and the Girls’ event seeing another 24 teams. The Boys’ Team event saw a major upset when Ang Mo Kio Secondary defeated the four-time defending champions Raffles Institution, though their counterparts in the girls’ event ensured that the Rafflesians did not go back empty handed this year, as their A Team won an all Raffles Girls’ School finals to maintain their winning streaking which dates back to 2005.

The Open Team event finals, started off as a tight affair with former national team player Aaron Tan of SMU tied at one set a piece with former national team compatriot Ng Zong Ren of Arena Team on Court One. However, the SMU player was edged out 19-21 in the final set to give the point to Arena Team. After that, it was all Arena Team, who with brothers Hendri and Hendra, as well as other former national players like Ngo Yi Chye and Erwin Djohan, swept the finals 4-1, to make it five straight titles for the Arena team and their ninth since the tournament was inaugurated in 2003, missing only the 2007 title which was won by Singapore Sports School.

“Standards have definitely improved this year as a lot more Singaporeans are playing badminton now,” said Hendra, who with Hendri, also won the bronze for Singapore at the 2010 commonwealth Games in Delhi, in addition to their silver medal at the 2007 SEA Games in Thailand.

“They are certainly getting more support and improved facilities these days, but more can still be done,” added the 27-year old Indonesian-born star, who has just started running his own badminton academy at the Singapore Badminton Hall since the start of this year.

The top three teams from each category were presented with medals and prizes by Guest-of-Honour Mr Alex Yam, MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC and Advisor to Yew Tee GROs.

Wee Kim Wee Badminton Challenge

The Wee Kim Wee Badminton Challenge which started in 2003, is named after the fourth President of the Republic of Singapore, whose two terms lasted from 1985 to 1993. The former President was a patron of the Arena Country Club and an avid badminton player who besides holding the presidency of the Singapore Badminton Association and the vice-presidency of the Badminton Association of Malaya in 1937, was also the junior singles champion that year.

Mr Lawrence Leow, Chairman of The Arena Country Club, while pleased with reaching a milestone with the tenth edition of the competition, revealed that he has plans for bigger things for the Wee Kim Wee Badminton Challenge with the aim to improve the level of badminton participation and spectatorship in Singapore.

“We aim to take the Wee Kim Wee Badminton Challenge to greater heights and standards with increased participation and aspire to bring the competition to the level of a prestigious regional badminton event.”

About The Arena Country Club

The Arena Country Club is a premier urban club with a range of facilities amidst a cosy ambience for business, social and family activities. With exciting food, recreational and accommodation offerings, The Arena Country Club also boasts Singapore’s only Go-Kart track.

Add: 511 Upper Jurong Road, Singapore 638366

Visit

For more information, please contact:

Tay Li-lin

Crescendas Hospitality Management Pte Ltd

Email:

www.arenaclub.com.sg lilintay@crescendas.com

Achilles Formula Drift Singapore: Daigo Saito reigns supreme

Defending champion Daigo Saito continued his supremacy on the track with a second straight win this season

1 JULY 2012 (SINGAPORE): Achilles Formula Drift Singapore 2012 came to a pulsating end with reigning champion Daigo Saito from Japan, hoisting the trophy once again here at the Changi Exhibition Centre in front of more than 9,000 fans over the two-day competition.

The fans in the stands were clearly up for some thrilling drift action, and the drivers did not disappoint as they pushed themselves to the limit in the Round of 32 on the new course.

Saito, who finished top of the Qualifying Round with a score of 92 on Saturday, received a bye and dispatched Malaysia’s Muhammad Zaiham Hamdan in his 2001 Nissan Silvia in the Round of 16. He followed up with convincing wins against Emmanuel Adwitya Amandio from Indonesia in the quarter-finals and Robbie Nishida in the semi-finals.

The surprise of the day was Indonesia’s Rio Saputro Budihardjo driving in his Nissan Cefiro A31 who gave notice to the competition as the second seed going into today’s Round of 32. Budihardjo continued his superb form, storming into the Final after taking out Malaysia’s Ser Ming Hui and crowd favourite Ken Gushi from the USA in the Round of 16 and top eight respectively.

With a roaring crowd behind them, Saito and Budihardjo revved up their engines for the Final. In the first tandem run, the Indonesian spun out and the reigning champion put himself in the lead. However, in the reverse run, Daigo was penalized for straightening out at the final clipping point, forcing the finalists to a One More Time.

In the second run, Daigo jumped out to take his line early to put a sizable lead ahead of Rio, leaving the Indonesian with too much distance to catch up. With the pressure on the rookie, Rio spun out and the Japanese claimed his second Achilles Formula Drift Singapore title after his success last year.

A humble Saito said: "I am pleased to win the Achilles Formula Drift Singapore for a second time and it was a tough final against Budihardjo. He has been in great form all weekend and I had to focus and give it my best shot to retain the title. I have always enjoyed the event here in Singapore as the crowd is always cheering us on and I will definitely be back for more."

"Of course I am very happy and thrilled to have made it all the way to the Finals. I have always looked up at Daigo as a role model and he is one of the strongest competitors in the world. I had to push my car to the limit just to match him and as a result, I spun out. But the result is still a great one for me and my team." chirped Budihardjo.

Malaysia’s Hanizam Bin Hamzah finished on the podium after beating Robbie Nishida of the USA in a tight battle for third place.


 

On the local front, only Singapore’s Jansen Tan advanced to the Round of 16 after beating Malaysia’s Rocker Loh Swee Hwa. However, he had the unenviable task of going against a one of the event favourites Ken Gushi in the Round of 16 where the American star flexed his muscles to seal his spot in the top eight.

Speaking after his run, Tan said: "I am definitely happy to have made it to the Top 16. At the first leg held in Malaysia, I had a lot of problems with my car. So having managed to address these issues and do well on my own home ground, it was a great result. The home crowd was absolutely fantastic and I am thankful to hear their applause and support throughout my runs."

The Achilles Formula Drift Singapore 2012 also saw Team USA comprising of Ken Gushi and Robbie Nishida winning the first ever Canon Nations Cup in Singapore ahead of Daigo Saito and Manabu Orido from Team Japan. Singapore’s duo of Jansen Tan and Ivan Lim finished in third place to close out a very successful second leg of the Asian Drift Series 2012.

The Achilles Formula Drift Series will now move on to the third leg of the series in Bangkok, Thailand with the final leg set to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia where stars like Saito, Orido and Nishida are set to thrill the drift fans once again with some pulsating drift action.

About Formula Drift Asia
Formula Drift is the first and only sanctioned North American professional championship drifting series, with the goal of expanding and developing the motorsport of professional drifting in Asia.

The 1st Singapore championship in 2008 signified our desire to transform drifting into a truly global mainstay and the Asian championship provides an opportunity for local drifters to compete, hone and learn from the very best. In 2012, the Formula Drift Asia championship will take place in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

Supported by ESPN STAR Sports extensive broadcast network and event management expertise, the thrill of high-speed drifting will be showcased to millions of viewers in Asia and beyond.

Please visit www.formuladriftasia.com for more information.

Based on Formula Drift’s traditional "head-to-head battle" format, drivers attempt to qualify, in single judged runs, to be one of the 32 drivers that will enter the main competition bracket. During the bracketed "tandem battle" competitions, drivers are paired off in a head-to-head competition of skill and nerves in a championship format to determine one final winner.

About ESPN STAR Sports
ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between two of the world’s leading cable and satellite broadcasters. As Asia's biggest sports content provider, ESPN STAR Sports combines the strengths and resources of its parent companies – Walt Disney (ESPN, Inc.) and News Corporation Limited (STAR) – to deliver a diverse array of international and regional sports to fans across multiple platforms.

ESPN STAR Sports features a comprehensive portfolio of multimedia assets including its television networks (ESPN, STAR Sports, STAR Cricket, ESPNEWS, ESPN HD, STAR Cricket HD), broadband network (ESPN Player), digital content services (espnstar.com, mobileESPN), and its on-ground Event Management Group with the aim to engage and entertain sports fans anytime, anyplace.

ESPN STAR Sports showcases an unparalleled variety of premier sports from around the globe featuring some of the most iconic sports events to viewers across 24 countries in Asia through its 25 television networks and 3 broadband networks, each localized to deliver differentiated programming to meet diverse needs of Asian sports fans.

About PT Multistrada
PT Multistrada Arah Sarana Tbk, or ‘PT. MASA’ is an Indonesian tire manufacturer. MASA is a local tire producer with Achilles Radial brand for Passenger Car Radial and Corsa Motor Cycle Tire brand for Motor Cycle, and makes the offtake brand for domestic and international markets. Automotive tire manufacturer PT Multistrada Arah Sarana (MASA) was first established in 1991 and in 1994 commenced production of replacement tires for automobiles.

About Driftpac
Driftpac Pte Ltd was established in Singapore in 2009 with the aim of producing professional and entertaining motorsports events throughout Asia. Driftpac is the rights holder for the Formula Drift franchise for the ASEAN region. The Formula Drift Asia events currently serve as Driftpac’s core focus as it continues to develop the technical, operational and sponsorship elements of this fast developing sport. Our goal is to ensure that partners, affiliates and sponsors enjoy the best bang for their buck in terms of exposure and branding in the motorsports arena. As part of Driftpac’s commitment to honing local talent, the company has recently set up a driver management arm to function as a marketing platform for the next wave of drift stars.
For more information, please contact:

Kelvin Leong (PR Agency)
Mobile: +65 9323 9965
Email: kelvin.leong@imsg.sg

Vivien Teo (PR Agency)
Mobile: +65 9763 3988
Email: vivien.teo@crowd.com.sg

Brigette Ponce (PR Agency)
Mobile: +65 9238 4946
Email: brigette.ponce@imsg.sg

Shazliana Heron (ESPN STAR Sports)
DID: +65 6216 6035
Email: Shazliana.Heron@espnstar.com

Elgen Kua (ESPN STAR Sports)
DID: +65 6216 6034
Email: kuae@espnstar.com

SCC Soccer Sixes: Courts Young Lions champions

Courts Young Lions crowned SCC Soccer Sixes Open Champions 2012

1 July 2012, Singapore – The Courts Young Lions lived up to their top billing this evening as they defeated a brave Jollilads side 3-1 in the Open Cup Final of the SCC Soccer Sixes.

The Singapore U-23 side entered the tournament as firm favourites and they certainly didn’t disappoint, playing some highly entertaining football over the two days on The Padang.

They weren’t the only team to score plenty of goals, as the crowds were treated to some spectacular action across all categories; Open, Masters (35 and above), Legends (45 and above) and the Under 14 sides from charitable organisations both in Singapore and around the region.

The Under 14 final was arguably the best match of the entire tournament as the Bali Sports Foundation battled it out against the Phnom Penh Crown Club. Both sides scored two brilliant goals apiece and as full time blew the scoreline could not separate them. Bali Sports Foundation eventually took the honours, winning the penalty shootout 2-1.

In the Legends Cup Final, JFC took out a nail biting 2-1 victory over the Singapore Malay’s. It was also the same scoreline in the Masters Cup Final, as the Jurong/Weston All Stars defeated Team Bondi 2-1.

The Jurong side caused somewhat of an upset in their semifinal, beating the celebrity-stacked CLA All Stars featuring former Arsenal and England international Ray Parlour. He had showed some outstanding form earlier in the day, scoring his side’s two goals in their quarter-final match.

In total, there were 44 teams competing in this year’s SCC Soccer Sixes tournament, a record number since the event began back in 2009.

Asian Tour gets into style with Abacus

ASIAN TOUR GETS INTO STYLE WITH ABACUS

Singapore, June 29: Swedish sportswear company, Abacus will become the Official Apparel Partner of the Asian Tour, providing a wide range of stylish apparel for officials and staff members of the Asian Tour following a two-and-a-half year agreement until the end of 2014.

Through this new and exciting partnership which was announced today, Abacus will also develop a collection specifically for the Asian Tour, which is the region’s elite professional golf circuit.

Abacus will enjoy multiple opportunities to leverage its brand across the Asian Tour’s worldwide media platforms that include its official website, www.asiantour.com and a global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million households.

”We are very excited about this partnership with the Asian Tour. Since we started our distribution in China and South Korea two years ago, we’ve enjoyed great success and this partnership with the Asian Tour is a very good and natural progression for our expansion plans throughout Asia,” said Chris Mattsson, Chief Executive Officer of Abacus.

“We are very proud that the Asian Tour has chosen Abacus as their Official Apparel Partner and we know that this partnership will greatly increase the abacus® brand awareness throughout the whole of Asia,” added Mattsson.

Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer, Mike Kerr said the latest partnership was another strong endorsement towards the cosmopolitan appeal of the Asian Tour.

“We are delighted to welcome Abacus as an Asian Tour partner. It is fantastic that Abacus, as one of the leading golf apparel brands in the world, understands and values the broad reach and authentic platform that the Asian Tour offers” said Kerr.

“This partnership also provides the Asian Tour with a functional and relevant on-ground opportunity to showcase the Abacus apparel range as it continues to grow its global brand appeal,” added Kerr.

The Swedish company has in the last 10 years grown from being a fledgling in the Scandinavian golf fashion market to a globally established brand in sports and fashion.

Abacus has been the official European Solheim Cup Team apparel provider since 2007 and has been granted an apparel license for the Ryder Cup up to 2018. Abacus is also the Official Clothing Partner of the European Tour, Irish Open, Scottish Open and Nordea Masters. 

Abacus dresses the English Golf Union, The German Golf Federation, The Danish Union and the Norwegian Golf Federation and its apparel is also sold at many leading Pro Shops around the world.

They include Pebble beach in the United States, Barseback in Sweden and Mission Hills Golf Club in China. 

Its golfing brand ambassadors include LPGA Tour players Seon Hwa of Korea, Scottland’s Cattriona Matthew, Spain’s Maria Hernandez and Sweden’s Christian Nilsson. 

Richard S Johnson of Sweden, who is a two-time winner on the European Tour, is also sponsored by Abacus.

The combination of high quality designs with qualified functionality has reaped great success in both Europe and North America, and has already begun to establish itself in Asia where it has five flagship stores in Korea.

The Asian Tour is the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia and is the only player-led organisation in the region. Its cosmopolitan membership consists of over 300 members from nearly 30 different nationalities from around the world, including the likes of current Asian Tour number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, China’s Liang Wen-chong, Korea’s Noh Seung-yul and Australia’s Scott Hend.

Major champion Y.E. Yang  of Korea, compatriot K.J. Choi, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh and Vijay Singh of Fiji are honorary members of the Asian Tour.

About Abacus
Abacus markets and sells leisure clothing with golf at the heart of its inspiration.  Abacus Sportswear manufactures functional clothing where design is combined with quality and function. abacus® is available in over twenty countries, with very strong market positions in Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Germany and Canada. The goal is to continue developing abacus® into an international lifestyle brand that reaches beyond the world of golf.

About the Asian Tour
As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia.  This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts), Cityneon (Official Event Overlay Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Singha Beer (Official Beer), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner) and Srixon (Official Ball). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Asian Tour: Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters

WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS SELANGOR MASTERS SET FOR GLOBAL EXPOSURE VIA LIVE BROADCAST ON ASIAN TOUR TV PLATFORM

Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, July 1: The stature of the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters will be amplified as the Asian Tour event will be beamed live for the first time in the tournament’s history this September, organisers said today.

The Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters has been a popular fixture since joining the Asian Tour Schedule in 2008 and this year, it will enjoy a huge boost when the final two rounds are beamed live to a global audience.

Over 200 countries and 650 million homes will receive the broadcast on the expansive Asian Tour’s worldwide television platform via the Live, Highlights, Golf Show and Golfing World programmes.

Defending champion Joonas Granberg of Finland, who won the tournament last year, will headline the RM1.2 million event (approximately US$395,000) alongside many of the leading Asian Tour players at the resplendent Kota Permai Golf and Country Club from September 5-8, 2012.

For the fifth successive year, Worldwide Holdings, a 100 per cent subsidiary of PKNS, will title sponsor the Selangor Masters. The state-linked company has an impressive portfolio of businesses which include property development and investment, environmental management services and investment holding in Selangor.

Worldwide Holding’s support of the Selangor Masters is part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) where apart from sports sponsorships, it also supports the underprivileged through various community projects.

“On behalf of Worldwide Holdings, we are delighted to announce the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters will be staged on a grander scale with live coverage over the final two rounds. We are pleased to reach this new milestone as it will further enhance our flagship tournament and promote the state of Selangor and Malaysia to a wider and global audience,” said Worldwide Holdings Chairman, Datuk Mohd Arif Ab. Rahman.

“Golf has come a long way in Malaysia and it is our fervent hope that our event will help to further grow the game in the country and across the region. We have seen many worthy champions emerge from the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters and it is our hope that another local player will follow in the footsteps of Ben Leong, who won the event in 2008.”

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said the live television coverage will benefit the tournament and sponsors tremendously.

“The live television broadcast will give added value to all sponsors associated with the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters as the tournament will be showcased around the world on our vast TV platform,” said Han.

“We are proud to be associated with the Selangor Masters since 2008 and I would like to extend my gratitude to Worldwide Holdings and the Selangor government for their outstanding support in enhancing the sport in the region.”

The winners of the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters include Leong (2008), Rick Kulacz of Australia (2009), Angelo Que of the Philippines (2010) and Granberg, who emerged as only the second Finnish golfer to win on the Asian Tour last year.

Get all the latest news of the Asian Tour on www.asiantour.com/ , facebook, http://www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and twitter, http://twitter.com/asiantourgolf

SCC Soccer Sixes Tournament

SCC Soccer Sixes Tournament set to showcase Asian Talent

29 June 2012, Singapore – The SCC Soccer Sixes Tournament 2012 is set to make a scintillating start tomorrow morning, with a host of high-quality sides ready to showcase the outstanding football talent that exists in Asia.

This year’s six-a-side tournament sees four different contests hosted on The Padang; The Open, Masters (Above 35), Legends (Above 45) and a category in which Under-14 teams from charitable institutions in Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand and Singapore take part.

The exhilarating six-a-side format will offer spectators some breathtaking action over the two days, culminating in the Open Final to be played on Sunday against a picturesque background in the heart of the city.

The press conference to officially launch the 2012 tournament took place today at the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) with Col. Gurcharan Singh, President of the Singapore Cricket Club, as well as Owen Monaghan, Committee member of the SCC Soccer Sixes 2012, outlining the details of the tournament.

The two VIPs were also joined by representatives from a number of the teams, as well as the guest star player of the 2012 tournament; Ray Parlour, the former Arsenal and England international who will be playing for the CLA All Stars in the Masters category.

“The ultimate goal of the SCC Soccer Sixes is to provide an annual platform to showcase Asian football and its promising young talent within the six-a-side format. This year, we have some outstanding teams from Singapore and around the region and we look forward to watching the action unfold over the next two days,” said Owen Monaghan, SCC Soccer Sixes committee member.

“The Under-14 Charity element is a new addition to our tournament this year and we believe it is something very special. Some of these young players on display are outstanding talents and through the help of the Singapore Cricket Club, along with our kind sponsors Raymond Weil and CLA, we’re excited to see them in action throughout the weekend.”

A selection of the Under-14 players also took part in a coaching clinic following the press conference, under the expert eye of Parlour who played a remarkable 400 Premier League matches and 10 Internationals for England during his illustrious career.

It will be the youngsters to kick-off the action in the morning, with their Charity tournament getting underway at 8am on The Padang. The Open action will then begin at 10am followed by the Masters and Legends at 1pm. Sunday will then play host to the knockout stages of all four categories, with the awards presentation scheduled to start at 5pm.

This year marks the fourth edition of the SCC Soccer Sixes tournament and notably, its Gold Sponsor Raymond Weil is back for the fourth consecutive year. CLA, which has Parlour featuring in its All Stars Team, is also back for a second year as Silver Sponsor.

Admission for spectators is free over the two days of action, with a real carnival atmosphere created for young and old alike.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Saturday, 30 June The Padang
8am-1pm Charity Under-14 Tournament – GROUP STAGE
10am-3pm Open Tournament – GROUP STAGE
1pm-5pm Masters/Legends Tournament – GROUP STAGE
Sunday, 1 July The Padang
9am-5pm Open/Masters/Legends/Charity Tournament – KNOCKOUT STAGES
5pm Awards Presentation

Ben Burrowes | cohn&wolfe XPR  | Account Director | m: +65 8111 9311 | http://www.cohnwolfexpr.com/