Sue Abela and Neil Sullivan, above, both completed successful campaigns to retain their 2010 titles, in this year’s edition of the Tenovar MTBA National Championships, just concluded at the Eden SuperBowl. The champions will go on to represent Malta in the 2011 European Champions Cup (ECC), to be held in Lahti, Finland next month.

Men’s defending champion Neil Sullivan was in the lead after two 8-game sessions, going into the final eight, which would be played on the tricky ‘dual-oil’ lane condition, just ahead of day one leader Mark Spiteri and Simon Burke in second and third respectively.

Sullivan played with fair consistency over the series, shooting highs of 225, 248 and 247 for a solid 1,652 set, and a winning total of 4,860 pins (202.5 average), keeping Spiteri at bay, the latter hanging on to second place on 4,729. Kenneth Arpa claimed third after a good 1,670 session (total 4,728), while Simon Burke suffered a poor 1,439 series, to fall way out of contention and finish ninth.

Only an absolute disaster could have prevented Sue Abela from claiming a convincing victory in the ladies’ competition, and notching up her 15th title of National Champion, having led by 476 pins over Tiziana Carannante after 16 games (3,186 – 2,710). Abela did have a shaky start on day three, opening with a low 149 game, but soon improved to power through the remaining seven with top games of 234, 258 and a fantastic 276 effort, to complete a 1,672 series for a final tally of 4,858 (202.4), 712 ahead of Carannante in second place (4,146, 172.7 average) while third place went to Melissa Swift on 4105 (171 average).