Neil Sullivan, Sue Abela win 2010 MTBA National Championships
08/17/10
The 2010 Malta Tenpin Bowling Association National Championships were conducted recently at the Eden SuperBowl in St. Julian's, where Malta's top tenpin bowlers competed in separate male and female categories for the most prestigious honor on the local scene. After three sessions and a total of 24 games, the 2010 champions are Neil Sullivan and Sue Abela in their respective divisions.
L-R Men's champion Neil Sullivan, MTBA president Julian Pace-Bonello, and women's champion Sue Abela.
Eight games were played in each of the three sessions on a 'scratch' basis, with positions decided according to the simple 24-game total. Varying lane oil patterns were used during the event, varying from 'short' oil on day one, 'long' oil on day two, and a 'dual' long/short combination on the third and final day.
This system tests bowlers' abilities on the lanes, ensuring that top positions go to truly deserving bowlers, able to adapt to the varying conditions and maintain a winning game average.
Sue Abela was bowling to retain her 2009 crown, and was in fact looking to clinch the fourteenth championship title of her illustrious bowling career. She topped the ladies standings from the opening game of day one, and that's where she stayed, her 1473 tally putting her 125 ahead of Tiziana Carannante in second, and 143 above third placed Melissa Swift.
Abela was slow to start on day two's longer pattern, opening with a 160 followed by a 173, but a big 254 and two more 200+ games kept her in a dominant position, with a 336 pin cushion heading into day three, when the tricky dual condition would come into play.
The vastly experienced defending champion was unflappable, again besting her opponents for a comfortable victory with 4532 pins over 24 games (188.8 average), 323 better than Carannante, who had a solid third session to take second place from Melissa Swift who had to settle for third place.
The men's event would see a changing of the guard, with the ever enthusiastic Neil Sullivan claiming his first and long-awaited championship title. He was left back in fourth place on 1566 pins after day one, with Paul Baldacchino topping the table with a great 1680 tally from eight, chased by 2009 champion Kenneth Arpa (1643) and Ray Falzon Reale (1600).
Day two was the clincher for Sullivan who found the long oil very much to his liking, bowling no less than seven 200+ games. A 1784 session was the result, which catapulted him to the top spot on 3350 pins (209.3 ave) ahead of Arpa in second, 40 pins down on 3310, and Baldacchino on 3210 in third place.
A successful title defense was still on the cards for Kenneth Arpa as the final session rolled off, but Sullivan began to get away from him as the games progressed with highs of 224, 215 and 234, the latter coming in game 22 which effectively but paid to Arpa's fading chances.
Sullivan claimed victory with a final 4918 total (204.9 ave), with Arpa second on 4820, and Baldacchino third on 4771.
The two National Champions will now represent Malta in the European Champions Cup, to be held in Ankara, Turkey between the 25th and 31st of October this year. Their participation is being made possible thanks to backing from the MOC, KMS, the Ministry responsible for sport, and also the Eden SuperBowl which provides the required training facilities to enable adequate Malta's bowlers in preparation for the ECC.
Malta
The 2010 Malta Tenpin Bowling Association National Championships were conducted recently at the Eden SuperBowl in St. Julian's, where Malta's top tenpin bowlers competed in separate male and female categories for the most prestigious honor on the local scene. After three sessions and a total of 24 games, the 2010 champions are Neil Sullivan and Sue Abela in their respective divisions.L-R Men's champion Neil Sullivan, MTBA president Julian Pace-Bonello, and women's champion Sue Abela.
Eight games were played in each of the three sessions on a 'scratch' basis, with positions decided according to the simple 24-game total. Varying lane oil patterns were used during the event, varying from 'short' oil on day one, 'long' oil on day two, and a 'dual' long/short combination on the third and final day.
This system tests bowlers' abilities on the lanes, ensuring that top positions go to truly deserving bowlers, able to adapt to the varying conditions and maintain a winning game average.
Sue Abela was bowling to retain her 2009 crown, and was in fact looking to clinch the fourteenth championship title of her illustrious bowling career. She topped the ladies standings from the opening game of day one, and that's where she stayed, her 1473 tally putting her 125 ahead of Tiziana Carannante in second, and 143 above third placed Melissa Swift.
Abela was slow to start on day two's longer pattern, opening with a 160 followed by a 173, but a big 254 and two more 200+ games kept her in a dominant position, with a 336 pin cushion heading into day three, when the tricky dual condition would come into play.
The vastly experienced defending champion was unflappable, again besting her opponents for a comfortable victory with 4532 pins over 24 games (188.8 average), 323 better than Carannante, who had a solid third session to take second place from Melissa Swift who had to settle for third place.
The men's event would see a changing of the guard, with the ever enthusiastic Neil Sullivan claiming his first and long-awaited championship title. He was left back in fourth place on 1566 pins after day one, with Paul Baldacchino topping the table with a great 1680 tally from eight, chased by 2009 champion Kenneth Arpa (1643) and Ray Falzon Reale (1600).
Day two was the clincher for Sullivan who found the long oil very much to his liking, bowling no less than seven 200+ games. A 1784 session was the result, which catapulted him to the top spot on 3350 pins (209.3 ave) ahead of Arpa in second, 40 pins down on 3310, and Baldacchino on 3210 in third place.
A successful title defense was still on the cards for Kenneth Arpa as the final session rolled off, but Sullivan began to get away from him as the games progressed with highs of 224, 215 and 234, the latter coming in game 22 which effectively but paid to Arpa's fading chances.
Sullivan claimed victory with a final 4918 total (204.9 ave), with Arpa second on 4820, and Baldacchino third on 4771.
The two National Champions will now represent Malta in the European Champions Cup, to be held in Ankara, Turkey between the 25th and 31st of October this year. Their participation is being made possible thanks to backing from the MOC, KMS, the Ministry responsible for sport, and also the Eden SuperBowl which provides the required training facilities to enable adequate Malta's bowlers in preparation for the ECC.
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