For the country’s badminton fanatics, what better way to get that adrenaline going for 2010 and shrug off the sluggishness of eventful 2009 than the year-opener 4th MESUCA BADMINTON CUP!  Players came from as far south as Davao and as far north as Tuguegarao to battle it out for the 6-level doubles championships held at the Club 650, Libis, last January 10 and 16, 2010. 

This year’s event was spiced up by the inclusion of a Corporate Cup participated in by teams from PLDT, PETRON, BDO, BAYER PHILS INC., GENPACT, SHELL, SUNPOWER, NESTLE, MALAYAN INSURANCE, IMI, SMART,CHINABANK AND ROBINSONS LAND CORP (RLC).   Players and their guests cheered lustily for their teammates in a charged atmosphere of camaraderie amidst competitiveness.  What some teams may have lacked in power and skill, they certainly made up in team spirit. After the elimination rounds, three corporate teams remained to battle for the championship – Shell, RLC and BDO.  A heartbreaking loss of the Shell Team in the semifinals allowed RLC to come face-to-face with BDO for the finals.     With momentum on RLC’s side but rest and strategic match-ups on BDO’s side, the finals briefly upstaged the rest of the competition.  When the shouting was over and with decisive straight wins in just three finals matches, owning the prestige of being champions of the 1st ever MESUCA CORPORATE CUP was the BDO TEAM!  Both the winner and runner-up of the Corporate Cup went home with a group trophy, individual medals and reward packages courtesy of the tournament sponsors.

On the other hand, excitement during the individual events geared up as familiar faces as well as a number of aspiring new challengers proceeded to overpower less able competitors on their way to the finals.  Form and flair helped but at the end of each levels championship match, those who happily held their medals high and hugged their prizes were the pairs who had been most consistent and persistent, focused and determined, steady and ready, and had sustained their endurance and peak performance.  The biggest and most heartwarming smiles were on the faces of some long-time tournament participants who finally stood up among the champions.  Rose Salalila (Women’s Level  F) and Jimboy Javier (Men’s Level F) have been participating in the Mesuca Cup for the past three years and finally found the right chemistry with their partners to be propelled to the championships.  John Almendras (Men’s Level E) who has been joining tournaments for the past 5 years without a championship jokingly declared that he could now consider retiring after he and his partner asserted superiority over their challengers, despite his cramping leg.  Christian Torres (Mixed’s Level C), also a regular tournament participant, had a shy yet victorious look on his face as he and his partner were congratulated for their impressive game and fitting finale to this year’s Mesuca Cup.  So to all the winners, congratulations!  And for everyone else, the next tournament might just be your time!  So stay in the game!

The MESUCA CUP 2010 was successfully staged by MESUCA PHILS. and JAVI OUTFITTERS under the leadership of Tournament Director, Ms. Marga Tan, and Asst. Tournament Director, Ms. Lyn Diaz.  The event was made possible by Major sponsors AMERICAN EYE CENTER, FERNC / FERNSLIM, CALTEX TECHRON, DAVID’S SALON, Minor sponsors Yoshinoya, Rufo’s Famous Tapa, Walter Bread, Slimmers World, Astoria Plaza, Crocs Rx, Citibank, and Media partners The Philippine Star, Action & Fitness Magazine, One Sports Magazine, UNTV 37, Audiowav, Robinson’s Malls Radio, Walter Mart Radio, MRT Radio, www.RegionalExtreme.com, and www.YourBadminton.com.