JVC starts ’05 season with junior badminton

Giant electronics firm JVC launches its year-long badminton program with the staging of the JVC Open Juniors Championships next month, kicking off a series of tournaments in various age-groups and culminating in the grand championship among the top corporate firms and the cream of the country’s badminton crop.

Players in the 14-and-under and 10-and-under categories will take center stage from March 29 to April 1 for the four-day qualifier with the tournament proper to run from April 2 to May 29 at the various SM supermalls in the country.

JVC has tied up with the SM chain of malls in its continuing search for badminton talents and at the same time further develop the very sport it helped popularize when it first staged the JVC Open Championships in 2001.

On tap in the two-division tournament are the singles and doubles events for both boys and girls, while invitational team competitions will be held in Cebu, Iloilo and Davao.

Peter Magnaye, winner of last year’s singles crown, is fancied to head the boys’ cast while the distaff side is expected to be a wide-open race as last year’s champion Karyn Velez, now 15, will be moving up in age division in the event sponsored by JVC and SM Supermalls and backed by Gosen, Alaska, Kenny Rogers, Epson, Pioneer Life, Chris Sports, Lactacyd, PowerSmash, Crystal Water, The STAR, Pinoy Exchange.com, Akari and Accel, the official outfitter of the tournament.

Registration is now ongoing. Deadline for submission of entries is on March 15 with the draw to be held on March 19 at the SM Megamall’s Atrium A starting at 1 p.m., according to the organizing IMG.

Entry forms are available at PowerSmash, Asuncion Badminton Center and at the mall marketing department of SM North EDSA, SM Fairview, SM Pampanga, SM Marilao, SM Southmall and SM Megamall. For details, log on to www.jvcbadminton.com or email [email protected]. For inquiries, call up 894-2995, 753-1286, 725-2568 or text 0918-5094845 (Joann), 0921-3142001 (Agnes), 0917-5288970 (Nelson).