Netball Challenge Trophy and league

The Malta Netball Association will hold a competition next weekend at the Marsa courts. This contest - the Challenge Trophy - will be on a knockout basis and nine teams will be participating.

The preliminary round and quarter-finals will be played on Saturday from 1.30 p.m. onward. The semi-finals will be held on Sunday, starting at 9 a.m. followed by the final which will start at 10.15 a.m.

All games will last 40 minutes with the exception of the final which will be of an hour's duration, as is the norm in league matches.

The national league will kick off on December 21. The same nine teams in the Challenge Trophy will participate. The league will be divided into two divisions and games will be played over two rounds.

Five teams make up the first division. These are Fuego Champs, All Ages Eurochange, HSBC, Kerygma Strikers A and Marsascala.

Marsascala were promoted last season. The second division will be composed of four teams - Mellieha (relegated from the first division), Wolverines, New Ages and Kerygma Strikers B.

The U-21 league will get underway in January. Here, the MNA are hoping that at least six teams will take part.