After a lean period of several years, when international attendance levels suffered under the pressures of a weakened global economy, and other external factors, the Malta Open was back with a bang for its 23rd edition this year.

The total entry more than doubled over the 2013 tournament to no fewer than 120 participants from 18 different nations. They thronged the Eden SuperBowl in St Julian’s during what was once again a hugely enjoyable and professionally organised tournament.

While the field largely comprised top tenpin bowlers from European nations, there were also participants from much further afield, including entries from Costa Rica and Mexico.

There was also a record attendance of 34 Maltese bowlers, including a few U-18 players whose entries were sponsored by the Eden SuperBowl and the Malta Tenpin Bowling Association.

The largest foreign contingent was a group of 19 Dutch bowlers, although there was also strong representation from Norway, England, Israel, Ireland and Cyprus.

The revelation of this year’s championship was Patrick Meka from the Netherlands.

The 23-year-old stunned competitors and spectators alike at the SuperBowl with his impeccable performance throughout the week, starting with the qualifying rounds and continuing all the way to the finals, where he succeeded in becoming the latest Open champion at his very first attempt.

Meka’s already impressive reputation does precede him, but nobody could have expected the unassuming youngster to turn up for his first qualifying session and, without any prior practice on the tournament lanes, roll a ‘perfect’ 300 in his very first game in Malta.

But that is just what he achieved much to the thrill and delight of all present.

Meka played out a 1,471 total for that six-game set (245.1 average), and then shot 1,439 in his second set for an outstanding 2,910 (242.5) to qualify for the final stages in second place, only beaten by Shahar Efraty, of Israel.

Efraty opened his campaign with the series of the tournament, an incredible 1,525, to go through in first place on 2,977 (248).

Maltese contenders

The top Maltese qualifier over the 12 Round One games was Justin Caruana Scicluna (10th, 2,793).

He was joined by Mauro Anastasi, 19th, and Kenneth Arpa who made the cut to the top 21 by the skin of his teeth on 2,711, just six ahead of Rankin Camilleri who was left out in 22nd place.

Anastasi played a sound Round Robin and was unlucky not to make the finals having failed to convert a spare on a single pin in the last frame of his final game.

That saw Anastasi finish sixth, out by just 25 pins. Caruana Scicluna came in just behind in seventh place.

Stepladder Final game one was between Bjorn Rudshagen and Ramon Hilferink.

The equally vociferous Norwegian and Dutch supporters could tell where it was swinging from the early frames, and it was Hilferink who took it 269-223 to earn his semi-final spot and face Efraty.

That clash, too, was over a single game. However, Efraty seemed to be flagging from his previous efforts, and lost out with a very poor 148, to Hilferink’s 214 winning score.

That set the stage for an all-Dutch final between 2013 runner-up Hilferink and Meka in a best-of-three encounter.

The opening game was a high-scoring thriller. It was Hilferink who clinched it in the end, 258-242.

Meka responded in stunning style, levelling the match with a 267-208 game two victory.

Hilferink had faced Belgian bowling legend Christian Vandamme in the 2013 final and finished second on that occasion.

His second consecutive Malta Open final was to be an unfortunate case of déjà vu, as game three went 266-206 to Meka for the 2014 title.

During a presentations ceremony, Meka received a standing ovation when called up to receive his trophy, and a share of the €12,000 cash prize fund.