SPORTS BRIEFS

Rotary pushes back kick off

The start of the 2004 season of the Rotary Club of Saipan Summer Youth Basketball League has once again been pushed back for next week.

Instead of kicking off yesterday, the 18-and-under caging event will start next Monday, June 28, to enable the coaches of participating teams to attend a coaching seminar to be conducted by FIBA Oceania official Stewart Manwaring.

The coaching seminar will continue on Wednesday and Friday from 5pm to 7pm and the whole afternoon of Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium conference room.

Organizers reminded teams that Rotary’s “no clinic, no coaching” rule still stands, which means that the league will not allow coaches who didn’t attend the seminar to mentor their teams this season.

For more information on the upcoming 2004 Rotary Club of Saipan Summer Youth Basketball League and requisite coaching clinic administered by Manwaring, please call Elias Rangamar at 664-2503 or 664-2508.

PACRIM update

The 3rd Annual Pacific Rim (PACRIM) Youth Goodwill Tournament is scheduled for November and registration is now open. Volleyball teams are allowed to have coed players but not the basketball teams. Team members between 12 to 18 years old of age are encouraged to register at the Office of Youth Affairs in Capitol Hill or pick up your registration packet at Ada’s Gym. For more information, call either the Youth Affairs Office at 664-2228/2248 or Eli Rangamar at 664-2500.

FILATA kicks off CIC tourney on June 24

The Filipino-American Tennis Association will host the Century Insurance Co. Tennis Classic starting this June 24.

Entry forms are available at the CIC Ltd. Office, Dai-Ichi Hotel front desk, American Memorial Park tennis courts bulletin board, and Las Vegas Golf & Tennis Discount. Forms can also be downloaded at www.filatasaipan.cjb.net.

For more information, please call Joy Minor at 323-3081 or Manny Po at 235-3897.

Golf great Bruce Devlin to offer lessons

Golf great Bruce Devlin will hold a golf clinic at the Kingfisher Golf Links this Friday, June 25, a day before participating in the 2nd Annual NMC Foundation Open.

Cost for a one-hour session has been reduced to $60, while two-hour and three-hour sessions cost $100 and $150, respectively. Organizers have put a limit of 20 players per session.

The NMC Foundation Open is scheduled for June 26-27, at Kingfisher Golf Course. First tee time is set at 6:30am.

It features competition in six flights – Championship (0-8 handicap), A (9-13), B (14-18), C (19-up), Women’s and Seniors. First place is guaranteed $400 in cash and a roundtrip ticket, runner-up gets $350, while third place takes home $250.

Registration fee is $150 until June 23 After that the cost goes up to $300. Checks should be made payable to the “Northern Marianas College Foundation.”

Escape from Managaha Island set on June 26

The 2nd Annual Escape from Managaha Island will be held this June 26 from the waters off the tourist hotspot.

The event is a water crossing from Managaha Island to Hafa Adai Beach Hotel in Garapan.

Entry fee is $60 for adults and $50 for participants under 18 years old. Late entries will cost significantly more. Deadline for entries is June 12.

Registration forms can be picked up at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool or at the Marianas Visitor Authority office in Oleai. Check payments must be made under the name of MVA.

Saipan fishing tourney on Aug. 28 and 29

The 20th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament will be held on August 28 and 29 and boats from Guam, Palau, Rota, and Tinian are expected to grace the two-day fishing tourney.

The top three ranks will be awarded in the following game fish categories: Bill fish, yellow fin, wahoo, mahi mahi, and skip jack. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first participant to land a marlin weighing over 624.34 lbs. and a yellow fin tuna weighing over 106 lbs.

Applications for the event, containing the rules and schedules of the event will soon be available at the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Fishing Tackle Shop.

For more information on the 20th Annual Saipan International Fishing Tournament and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Martin F. Duenas at 664-3200/3201 or Wolf Mojica at 234-6615.