歡迎光臨高雄市新聞局

◎English Translation by Ping-Hui Fan ◎English Edited : Johanne Murray ◎Photographs by Chong-Hui Bao

　For the second time in two years, Kaohsiung City hosted the crucial third leg of the 2006 San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour. Now in it's fourth year, the Kaohsiung leg of the San Miguel tournament was hosted at the Business Exhibition Center on August 4th to August 6th. The city hopes to create a greater passion for this event. Over the recent years, the residents' interest in this activity has steadily increased. The Taiwanese have done well in 9-Ball tournaments in the past and anticipate a victory in the upcoming 2009 World Games. The city also hopes to attract more talented players to come and show off their skills in Kaohsiung.  
　Chai-Ching Wu, Chin-Shun Yang, Fong-Pang Chao, Hung-hsiang Wang, Rong-Chih Nien, and Hui-Kai Hsia represented Taiwan. The tournament also featured eighteen other 9-Ball stars from a number of other Asian countries. The players competed for the top prize of $10,000US. Unfortunately, Hui-Kai Hsia was the only Taiwanese player to make it to the top four. Hui-Kai Hsia played Filipino player Rodolfo Luat in the semi-finials. Luat claimed the 18th rack and went on to win the tournament 11-7.
　Although the Taiwanese players did not claim victory this year, their amazing abilities still left fans in awe. The people of Kaohsiung also appreciated the government's efforts in hosting such activities in preparation for the 2009 World Games. The city hopes to host a variety of international tournaments in the near future. Since Kaohsiung won the bid for the World Games the city has been very busy preparing a number of construction and urban development projects. Besides the Asian 9-Ball Tour, Kaohsiung will also organize the Asian S.A. Roller Skating Championships, ICF Dragon Boat Racing World Championships, and the Asian Climbing Sports Championships to gain experience and give Taiwanese professional players more opportunity to prepare.

◎文／王御風　◎攝影／鮑忠暉

　距離2009世運會的腳步越來越近，在世運會比賽項目中，撞球是台灣極具奪牌希望的單項，為了讓高雄民眾能夠熟悉國際大賽的氣氛，並培養更多運動人口，高雄市政府繼去年後，今年又再度爭取「2006生力亞洲九號球巡迴賽」在高雄比賽，也在炎炎夏日中，為高雄市民帶來了頂級的運動饗宴。
　今年舉辦第四屆的「生力亞洲九號球巡迴賽」，高雄是第三站，於８月４日至６日在高雄工商展覽中心進行比賽。台灣地主選手除了固定參賽的吳珈慶、楊清順、趙豐邦、王泓翔外，高雄站更增加了夏揮凱與粘榮智兩位好手，與其他18位來自亞洲各國的頂尖選手爭奪冠軍以及美金一萬元的獎金，比賽期間，每天都湧進爆滿的觀眾，欣賞台灣選手與亞洲頂級高手一較高下。
　在這次的比賽中，台灣的選手並沒有發揮應有實力，進入四強賽時，僅剩下夏揮凱獨力應戰。冠軍由夏揮凱與菲律賓選手盧雅（Rodolfo Luat）對決，最後夏揮凱
以７：11落敗，盧亞獲得亞巡賽高雄戰冠軍。
　雖然此次比賽，台灣選手在滿場觀眾的遺憾聲中，未能留下冠軍獎盃，但夏揮凱的拼勁，以及其他各國好手的精湛球技，讓高雄觀眾大呼過癮，對於市府能夠爭取國際級賽事在高雄市舉辦均表示肯定，也希望往後還有更多類似的國際賽會。

積極為2009做準備

　為了籌辦2009高雄世運，市府除了進行多項城市改造的硬體建設外，也進行運動人口的培養及宣傳，爭取世運會競賽項目的單項運動國際賽會到本市舉行，除了這次的亞洲９號球巡迴賽，９月底到10月還將舉辦「亞洲滑輪溜冰」、「ICF世界龍舟」、「亞洲攀登運動」等錦標賽，以累積舉辦國際賽事經驗和我國選手的實力。