Roman Dela Cruz, left, and Ben “Guelu” Rosario will represent Guam at the Slinging World Cup Oct. 11-15, 2023, in Ibiza, Spain.
HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — On duty to share with the slinging world in the 500-year anniversary commemoration of mass encounter with the Spanish, Guam’s Roman Dela Cruz and Ben “Guelu” Rosario have emerged as the island’s voices of slingstone, traveling the world over and co-hosting tournaments through ACHO Marianas in a cultural sports revolution.
“We are happy to venture back to Ibiza as a unified Islas Marianas through the tool that defended our ancestors, our land, and now their descendants,” Rosario said. “I’m proud to bring the (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) flag alongside that of our motherland, Guåhan.”
After completing a training session Sunday at the Fokai Shop in Tumon, Dela Cruz and Rosario are headed to Ibiza, Spain, to compete in the Slinging World Cup. The World Cup, hosted by the newly formed World Slinging Association, will take place Oct. 11-15.
Dela Cruz told The Guam Daily Post that their goals are to share the CHamoru culture, update the world on the Mariana Islands’ sling developments, bring the CNMI flag to world slinging and accept the invitation to vice presidency for the WSA, which he was offered.
Along with sharing what slinging in the Mariana Islands is all about and accepting the new position, Dela Cruz is eager for the team to display their slinging marksmanship, keen to display their talent amid a tournament with more than 200 athletes from 30 countries.
“It seems the largest hurdle will be settling the nerves in front of such a large audience and to perform our best to display an accurate level of Mariana Island slinging and a performance and deliverance worthy of our flag,” Dela Cruz said.
Dela Cruz said that tournament preparation hasn’t gone as smoothly as he had hoped, but “it is what it needs to be.”
He said that with slinging, as with all things, there’s always room for improvement.
“For the most part, the skill set seems respectable enough,” he said.
“Of course, a prime focus for competition is victory and performance, but with all the potential of cultural exchange here, I think that takes even more precedence than winning,” Dela Cruz said. “With the growing popularity and increasing level of local slingers, and with the progress of slinging throughout the Marianas, ultimately, we are most looking forward to showcasing the slinging world and to invite this global family to experience the CHamoru culture throughout Guam, Saipan, Rota, and Tinian.”
