The Mediterranean Challenge Cup is a regional championship tournament, competed between various Mediterranean countries as the name suggests, including major bowling nations such as Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Israel and many others, and it has been contested by Maltese tenpin bowlers every year since the inaugural edition back in 1998.

That first event was held in Nicosia, Cyprus, after much input from the Malta Tenpin Bowling Association, with President Julian Pace Bonello at the helm, in coordination with his Cypriot counterparts.

In fact the second edition was then held in Malta in 1999, and the MCC was again organised by the MTBA at the Eden SuperBowl in 2005, to mark the Association’s 30th snniversary.

Always a high point in the Maltese bowling calendar, the MCC has brought Malta great sporting honours over the years thanks to our athletes, most notably Sue Abela, who has become affectionately known as Queen of the Mediterranean among MCC aficionados, having taken no less than six individual gold medals from the championships.

Abela is also the current reigning Ladies’ Champion, after winning last year’s 12th edition, held in Montpellier, France. Thanks to the performances of all of our tenpin bowlers in fact, Malta today sits proudly atop the overall medals table, boasting no less than 24 gold awards, ahead of mighty Greece on 22 golds.

This year’s 13th annual event sees a return to Cyprus, albeit with a change in venues, as this time around the MCC will be hosted at the Cosmic Bowling Centre in Paphos between 13 and 18 April.

Locally, February will see the MTBA’s qualifying tournament to decide who will win to represent Malta in Paphos. This will be conducted at the SuperBowl between 6 and 10 February, played on a scratch basis over 24 games, with the best two bowlers from both the male and female divisions on total ‘pinfall’, earning that greatly coveted honour.

The eventual winners will then be competing in various events during the XIII MCC in Cyprus, including Singles, Doubles and also a Four-Man Team competition, as well as the final Masters Event to decide the eventual champions for this year.

Spectators are welcome to come and watch the qualifying action at the SuperBowl, with all event details currently available at www.mtba.eu, while further information on the XIII Mediterranean Challenge Cup can be found on the official event pages on the Cypriot Bowling Federation website, www.cbf.com.cy