Badminton Open every Saturday

(Marlene Peraja and Hapi Gabriel hold their cash prizes after winning Saturday's NMBF Badminton Weekend Open Mixed Doubles, beating seven other pairs last Saturday at the Gilber C. Ada Gymnasium)

The Northern Marianas Badminton Federation started a weekly mini-tournament to further hone the skills of their players and promote the sport locally.Dubbed the Badminton Weekend Open, the games are being held every Saturday from 8am to 11am where players who want to join are paired up in a blind draw, knockout match format.

NMBF decided to hold the weekly mini-tournament, which began last Feb. 9, for the spirit of fun and camaraderie. The events played are in men's, women's, and mixed doubles.

Last Saturday, the mixed doubles pair of Hapi Gabriel and Marlene Peraja defeated the duo of Diane Dar Juan and Lito Mendoza, 16-21, 21-18, 21-14, to claim the week's bragging rights.

Five other mixed doubles pairs joined Saturday's mini-tournament including the tandems of Loida Ito and Roger Vales, Angie Ito and June Pineda, Macoi Aguda and Juliet Ramos, and Shirley Kim and Rommel Villaviza.

Angie Ito and Pineda joined the teams of Gabriel and Peraja and Dar Juan and Mendoza in the second round.

Only two courts are being used for the mini-tournament with the other four reserved for those players who do want to join the games.

Last Feb. 9, Ryan Achas and Jojo Lazaro won the men's doubles, while Dar Juan teamed up with Merlie Savellano to emerge victorious in the women's division.

Achas and Lazaro downed Mendoza and Noli Santos in the finals, while Dar Juan and Savellano defeated Loida Ito and Ramos.

Other pairs in the men's division were Marconi Calindas and Edwin Montoya, Macoi Aguda and Ariel Mariano, and Glenn Buultjens and Raj Jayalal, while the women's were composed of Kim and Cristy Villaflor, Peraja and Annette Quiambao, and Janis Parcon and Nimfa Santos.

(Saipan Tribune)