Expectations are rising high about the Wilkinson Sword National Water Polo Championship. Nine teams are gearing up to the annual challenge where they put their increasing talent to test, sporting their chances to carry the title of the winning team.

Participating in this year’s National Water Polo Championship are: Sliema McDonald’s, Neptunes Vodafone, Sirens Hard Rock Café, Marsascala Breakers, Marsaxlokk Freeport, Ta’ Xbiex Mermaids Paradise, Otters ASC, Exiles Pender Gardens and San Giljan Zara.

The 2007 edition of the Wilkinson Sword National Water Polo Championship is played in two stages. The preliminary round determines the division of the participating clubs, followed by a First and Second Division league. Only four clubs make it to the First Division competition.

Preparations for the summer championship are now fiercely underway with the clubs finalising their respective team line-ups and training hard to start the season on a positive note.

Significant changes in last season’s First Division teams have already been noted. Former Sirens Captain Jonathan Valletta has joined Sliema ASC this year. Due to an unfortunate injury, he may be unable to play during this season. Sliema also engaged the Hungarian water polo player Tamas Varga. Another Hungarian player, Zsolt Varga, has been signed up by Sirens Hard Rock Café. San Giljan Zara has signed up Marko Cuk, who was voted Best Foreign Player of the Year the previous season.

Neptunes’ popular Dudo Simenc has retired and is being replaced for the preliminary round by Ivan Milakovic. Serbian captain Vladimir Vujasinovic will then join the team for the final two rounds. Sean Gravina has also returned to Neptunes after a loan spell at Exiles, while Edward Cachia will not be playing for the team this year. In addition, Exiles has confirmed that Aurelien Cousin, a member of the French national team and captain of Nice Water Polo, will be joining the team for the season.

Like the previous season, all forecasts for this year’s championship suggest quite a stiff competition between Neptunes Vodafone, Sliema McDonald’s, Sirens Hard Rock Cafe and San Giljan Zara. The final battle in last year’s First Division league was between Neptunes, Sliema and Sirens. However, Sliema surprisingly lost against San Giljan in the final round and also had their star player Benedek suspended for two matches which cost him the final match against Neptunes.

Exiles PenderGardens president Andrew Paris said: “This year, the club plans to put up a good fight for the fourth position in the First Division league.” This means that Exiles Pender Gardens shall be giving the other teams a good run for their money in the preliminary round.

Matthew Bonello, president of the Neptunes WPSC, last year’s winners, said: “Training for this competition starts as early as mid-January, although for the first few weeks the team members undergo regular gym workouts and swimming. As fitness levels gradually improve, tactics and technical work are included in the training sessions, with the ultimate aim of players reaching their peak during the decisive period of the season.”

Brian Schembri, president of San Giljan ASC, said the club starts training for the national championship in November, becoming more intense and match-oriented as the summer league draws closer. “Waterpolo is a demanding sport, so the focus is on physical training first to build up the stamina of the players, which is crucial for the success, or failure, of the team.”

International commitments

The international scene shall see the Junior National team participating in The European Youth Water Polo Championships - Men to be held in Malta in September. “The opportunity to compete with the best water polo players in their age group from other countries is very motivating to our young players, and also gives them an added incentive to do their very best,” said Neptunes’ Matthew Bonello. “This provides an excellent boost to our teams prompting them to work towards better results, not only for the sport’s sake in Malta but also to make a name for our country abroad and among the foreigners who come to play here.”

On the other hand, the Senior National Water Polo team will participate in the European B Championships that are being held in Manchester from July 8-16. Sixteen teams will be participating and Malta has been drawn to play in Group A, which consists also of Belarus, Turkey, Belgium, Montenegro and Macedonia.

“Undoubtedly, the best team in this group will be Montenegro,” said Robert Ebejer, president of the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta (ASA). “The other teams are more or less of our standard. It all depends on the team’s performance on the day. If I had to forecast, I believe we stand a 50-50 chance to finish with the top two or three of the group. If we finish with the top two, we shall compete for the first to fourth position; if we finish third or fourth, we shall play for the fifth to eighth place.”

Teams in Group B are France, the UK, Poland, Ukraine, Israel and Ireland.

Wilkinson Sword is the official sponsor for the National Water Polo Championship 2007. All the local water polo clubs benefit indirectly from this sponsorship. “A league like this which is sponsored by such an esteemed brand gains prestige and more promotion,” said San Giljan’s Brian Schembri. “Individual clubs and their players feel part of something important when the sport they train in is being supported by brands such as Wilkinson Sword and gaining media exposure.” Wilkinson Sword’s sponsorship of water polo activities in Malta also allows for the organisation of events such as training camps and participation in foreign tournaments.

The Championship draws

The draws for the second edition of the Wilkinson Sword National Water Polo Championship will take place tomorrow at the Corinthia San Gorg Hotel in St Julian’s. Following the draws, a detailed schedule of matches will be available on the ASA website www.asaofmalta.org.

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Decider to determine winter champions is possible

With the last round of matches in the winter league being played today, it is possible that a decider may become necessary to determine this year’s winter title, sponsored by Wilkinson Sword.

At present, Sliema MCDonald’s and Sirens lead the standings with seven points each, followed by Neptunes Vodafone on six points. And it is evident that if Sliema and Sirens both win today’s clashes, a decider will have to be played next Tuesday at 6.30pm.

Today at 4.30pm, Sirens will be facing San Giljan Zara while in the match that follows, which starts at 5.45pm, Sliema McDonald’s will be facing their old and eternal rivals Neptunes Vodafone.

With the St Paul’s Bay side heavily favoured to beat the Saints, Sliema will definitely need to beat their rivals to force Tuesday’s decider.