Gauci wins Malta Open, goes third in world rankings

On a high after his victory in the French Grand Prix two weeks ago, Mark Gauci won the Malta International Open, held last week at the St George’s Band Club in Cospicua.

Thanks to his latest success, Gauci moved up to third place in the FISTF world rankings.

Featuring 29 participants, the Open category was a hard-fought affair. In the final, Gauci (Atlas TFC), the in-form Malta captain, faced national team-mate Joseph Borg Bonaci (Falcons TFC).

The game was balanced and the result could have gone either way.

Borg Bonaci had the better chances but Gauci prevailed by a solitary goal. The final was controlled by Hansel Mallia.

In the semi-finals, Gauci beat Mallia 3-1 and Borg Bonaci had the better of the promising Angelo Borg who, in the quarter-finals, knocked out Massimo Cremona.

It was the first time since 2005 that Cremona had failed to progress to the last-four of the Malta International Open.

In the Under-19 category, Borg underlined his steady improvement when edging Darren Carabott (Attard SC) 1-0. In the semis, Borg came from a goal down to see off the challenge of Ħamrun’s Darren Bezzina, 3-1. Adam Gatt was the other beaten semi-finalist.

A number of young newcomers from the Bormla Subbuteo Club, took part in the Under-15 competition. The Cospicua-based outfit is working hard to promote table football and attract more youngsters to its fold.

Andrew Abela (Valletta SC) had the better of Under-12 player Ismael Fenech (Bormla SC) in the final.

The beaten semi-finalists were Larson Ebejer and Melvin Barun, both from Bormla SC.

Anthony Sapiano was the head referee of the Malta International Open competitions.