Nikki Abela Mercieca
Għaxaq factory wins top prize in international competition
Malta’s letters lit up the starry Spanish sky in a fireworks display that won the Għaxaq St Joseph fireworks factory an international award over the weekend.
Competing against five international companies, the Għaxaq company completely dominated the Bilbao XX International Fireworks Display by giving spectators something “different”.
“Everybody said our displays stood out because we had a wide range of fireworks, from ground fireworks to coloured pyrotechnics and petards, which seemed to please the judges,” said David Caruana, one of the fireworks enthusiasts taking part.
“What is normal for people in Malta was really something special at this international event,” he added.
The 20-minute show, displayed last Friday, took 12 enthusiasts from the factory three months to put together.
Competition was tough in the nine-day fireworks festival, which exhibited displays from Australia, Tenerife, Austria and Valencia. The Australian team, Foti International Fireworks, was especially tough to beat, being renowned for its outstanding displays on the Sydney Harbour Bridge every New Year’s Eve. However, the Maltese team won every competition category, which led them to winning the festival itself.
“We were very surprised to win the prize but we got lots of encouragement every passing day from people saying they liked our display best,” Mr Caruana said.
The judges even paid them a visit at the Spanish fireworks factory where the Għaxaq team spent three days preparing the firing mechanism before the show, to see how the team made the ground fireworks, which is unusual for judges to do in the competition.
The three tons of fireworks used by the Maltese team were transported to Bilbao on August 16, five days before the festival started. Mr Caruana admitted that participation was not easy, especially in terms of logistics.
When he spoke to The Times on Friday, Mr Caruana had said: “Sometimes it felt like we were never going to make it but we are here and all is well.”
All ended well too, when the team was handed the award on Sunday.
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PACIFICO GALEA
Sep 1st 2010, 18:53
Proset l ewwel net lil Ghaqda SanGuzepp Hal Ghaxaq tal unur li rbahtu ghal Malta. Proset lilek wkoll Victor tal kitba tieghek ghax hlief tmaqdir u kliem kontra il piroteknika ma tarax. Fil fatt ikumentajt diversi drabi f dawn il jiem ghax ma kien isema xejn fuq din il gazzetta fuq dan l avveniment kbir meta Maltin Rebhu unuri kbar ma barranin famuzi fdan ix xoghol. Issa nigi ghal dik li ghidt int rigward li il piroteknici malti jisejhu delettanti wahda minhom hija ghax hadd minha ma jahdem dan ix xoghol bhala full timer u jithalas tax xoghol tieghu imma dan issir bhala volontarjat imma il bicca il kbira il volontarjat ma jitqies bhala professjonali min ma jifimx fis suggett tal piroteknika.
Dominic Ellul
Sep 1st 2010, 19:58
Trid tkun hemm bhall ma kont jien biex tara kemm ix-xoghol tal-kamra tan-nar ta' San Guzepp ta' Hal Ghaxaq intlaqa' minn dawk prezenti. Kif spicca l-ispettaklu -ghax hekk kien- li dam kwazi 25 minuta, ma kont tisma xejn hlief capcip li jtarrax u ghajjat ta' Malta Malta min xi 150 elf ruh li kientu prezenti. Min dak il-hin bdejna nxommu r-rebha u komplejna naghmlu aktar kuragg meta l-ghada filghodu rajna l-gazzetti. Kollha kkummetaw li kien ilhom snin twal ma jaraw spettaklu ta' dik il-kwalita. Hal Ghaxaq irnexxielu jonqox ismu u isem Malta fis-smewwiet ta' Bilbao. Nixtieq nirringrazzja lill dawk kollha li kienu nvoluti u responsabbli ghal dan l-ispettaklu u j'alla San Guzepp izomm idejh fuqhom u jberikom. Lejlet il-Vittorja ix-Xaghra Ghawdex se jsir spettaklu iehor mill-Guzeppini Ghaxqin u ninsab cert li se jsegwuh hafna nies. Jien se nkun hemm u int! Ghalkemm ghelibna l-isfida tal-4 partecipanti l-ohra, sahansitra lil favoriti minn Spanja, meta thabbar ir-rizultat il-Hadd fil-ghaxija kulhadd ferah u iccelebra maghna l-Ghaxqin. Hadd qatt ma basar li rahal zghir Malti kien kapaci jaghmel dik il-bravura.
Victor Borg
Sep 1st 2010, 17:49
It's good to see the "fireworks enthusiasts" winning. But how can mere "enthusiasts" win among the professionals? Indeed, they are not enthusiasts as people in Malta label them. Indeed Maltese fireworks are the best in the world - I know what I am talking about, having researched Maltese fireworks better than any other writer, and having travelled wider than any other Maltese person ever. Have a look at this: www.victorborg.com/html/travel_writing.html Isn't it time that Maltese journalists learn to use proper language, and start calling them 'pyrotechnists' or 'pyro-technicians' or at least 'firework makers.' For these people - Maltese pyro-technicians - are no mere enthusiasts. They are professionals, and Maltese fireworks is the only distinct art-form produced in Malta. Victor Borg www.victorborg.com
c dimech
Sep 1st 2010, 17:31
Well Done to St Joseph fierworks factory . This success should be dedicated to the late FIVE Victoms who lost their lives in explosion of the same factory. in 1970. I am sure that all the Guzeppini Ghaxqin will be glad that They are remenbered in this moment of celebration.
Silvio Cassar
Sep 1st 2010, 15:54
WELL DONE GHAXAQ....................
AT LEAST YOU PUT THE MALTA NAME ON TOP............
Kevin Camilleri
Sep 1st 2010, 10:50
A big Well Done and Congratulations!!
This is what we want to hear. At least, the Maltese are finally winning in something. The Amateurs (according to some bloggers in this website) are making a name for Malta.
Thank you guys and keep it up.
C.Busuttil
Sep 1st 2010, 15:03
Well done Ghaxaq.
What happened to the bloggers who describe the Maltese as Amateurs, have they lost their tongue? the Amateurs have even beaten the World famous Australians renowned for their displays on the Sydney Bridge !!!!
The amateurs, the second class citizens, the fanatics (as described by the bloggers) manage to win competitions overseas while the rest always finish last in everything field from soccer to eurovision!!!!!!!!!