Invitational Euro U-17 tournament starts on Monday

A record number of 12 players will take part in the Invitational European U-17 Snooker Open starting next week at the Apple Snooker Club in Buġibba.

Although competitive action kicks off on Monday, the opening ceremony will take place on Tuesday at the tournament's venue, beginning at 5.30 p.m.

Joe Caruana Curran, the president of the Malta Billiards and Snooker Association (MBSA) and John Hartley, the chairman of the English Competitions Board, will be present for the opening ceremony.

In next week's competition, Malta will be represented by three players, namely Shaun Sultana, who hails from Gozo, Wayne Pace and Christopher Peplow. Aged only 12, Peplow will be the youngest participant.

Sultana and Pace figured in last year's edition, finishing fifth and ninth respectively but Peplow is taking part for the first time. Malta's current U-19 champion, Thurston Grixti, was third overall last year.

Belgian Luca Brecel together with English players Ryan Clark, George Marter and Jake Nicholson are considered as the leading favourites to win the trophy.

Brecel won the first edition of this invitational tournament in 2007 after beating England's Darren Cook 5-3 in the final. Last year, Brecel came within a whisker of defending his title but lost 5-4 to English player Ryan Clark.

Clark and Nicholson are playing in the WSA Challenge Tour together with the likes of Tony Drago and Alex Borg.

The first match on Monday, starting at 10.15 a.m., will be between defending champion Clark and Sultana.

Entrance for matches is free of charge.