Arpa and Abela claim honours
The National Championships are played over three 8-game sessions on a 'scratch' basis, and positions are decided according to the simple 24-game total. As has become the norm in all major tenpin bowling tournaments, varying lane oil patterns were used during the event.
Both Arpa and Abela took on early lead in their divisions. Arpa shot a 1,702 total (212.7 ave) in the opening session's long oil pattern to lead by only five pins from Justin Caruana Scicluna on 1,697 (212.1). Veteran John Balani was third on 1,654 (206.7).
Gunning for her 13th national title, Abela seized the initiative with a huge 1,725 tally (215.6 ave), followed by Joanna Attard on 1,525 (190.6) in second, and Doris Camilleri, in third on 1,472 (184.0).
The second session was on the short pattern, which posed no trouble for men's leader Arpa who found his line during a low 179 opening game, going on to shoot a 1,721 on the day for a 3,423 interim balance (213.9 ave).
Mark Spiteri moved up from sixth to second place after an excellent 1,831 block (228.8 ave) put him on 3,401. Caruana Scicluna rolled a 1,568 for a 3,265, leaving him in third.
Abela shot a lower 1,586 on day two, but her considerable day-one advantage meant she easily retained her lead on 3,311 (206.9) over Attard with 3,040 (190.0), and Tiziana Carannante who snatched third place from Camilleri with a 1,483 series to give her 2,952 (184.5) after 16.
Day three brought the tricky dual lane conditions (short on the left lane, long on the right).
Arpa dropped pins with a 164 in the opening game of the day while trying to cope with the varied shots required but soon regained the pace to claim 1,704 pins for a 5,127 championship-winning final score (213.6 ave).
Overall, it had been a consistent performance from the new champion, the title a well-deserved one. Spiteri held on to the runner-up position on 5,055 pins (210.6), while third place went to Caruana Scicluna on 4,944 (206.0 ave).
Abela produced some below-par games during her final set, but was still 200+ on the day (1,620 over eight), securing her 13th national championship with a 4,931 total (205.4 ave).
Attard finished second after a good overall showing, rendering 4,647 pins (193.6 ave), and Camilleri rallied on day three to regain third place on 4,443 pins (185.1 ave).
The two national champions will now represent Malta in the European Champions Cup, to be held in Chania, Crete between September 21 and 28.
Their participation is being made possible thanks to backing from the MOC, KMS, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Sport, and also the Eden SuperBowl.