NEARLY 200 participants are expected to compete when Pickle Fest 2026 kicks off today, March 11, 2026, at the Net and Paddle Pickleball Club along Tupas St., Sawang Calero, Cebu City.
The Pickleball Champions League Rising Stars U19 Sectional Tournament will be the centerpiece of the event, which will serve as the qualifying round for the PCL Asia Grand Finals scheduled this April in Hainan.
The competition was formally launched on Tuesday, March 10, through a press conference led by former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann. The event is jointly organized through the partnership of Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corporation and Sunrise Events Inc..
“This is one of the biggest pickleball tournaments to be held here in Cebu. We’re very excited to see everyone compete in the next few days. We are expecting over a hundred participants in the different age groups, while around five to eight teams will compete in the U19 competition,” said tournament director Cesar Guinto.
Also present during the press conference held at the Net and Paddle courts were Steve Kuhn, chairman of the Pickleball Champions League and founder of Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), along with referee head Gigi Macera.
Aside from the U19 qualifiers, competitions will also be held in other categories such as novice, low intermediate, high intermediate, and open class. Events will include men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles.
The age-group divisions will feature the 20-and-above, 35-and-above, and 50-and-above categories.
Bachmann, who previously served as team manager of the defunck Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association, said the tournament is a step toward raising the level of pickleball in the country.
Pickleball is a relatively new sport that continues to grow in popularity in the Philippines.
“This is a new sport and we hope to grow it further. Hopefully, it will be part of the 2032 Olympics,” Bachmann said, referring to the 2032 Summer Olympics.
“We will help develop the sport through the Philippine Pickleball Federation. It cannot be done by the government alone; everyone must work together. Now the private sector is helping the NSA, and the PSC is also supportive. Everyone is working together for the growth of the sport,” Bachmann added.
Representing Cebu in the U19 qualifiers is the Philippine junior team coached by Elvin Tabura, son of the late Cebuano tennis personality Fritz Tabura.
The squad is composed of Gio John Manito, JP Rabaya, Aaron Kevin Tabura, and Aaron Galo.
In the previous leg held in Davao City, Team Velaris — composed of Shesha Bree Biñas, Chrystelle Marjh Elisan, Izzy Lacida, and Jacob Cagas — captured the gold medal and secure a slot in the Asia Grand Finals.
Along with the qualification, the team also received a US$1,000 development grant from the Asia Elite Pickleball Academy, as well as full support from PCL Asia for airfare, accommodation, and transportation.
Although many participants have already registered online, the organizers believe more players will still sign up onsite a few hours before the proper competition begins. (JBM)