The 15th annual Senior Malta Open got underway at the Eden SuperBowl on Thursday, where some 70 tenpin bowlers began their quest for the honours in this well-liked tournament aimed specifically at the 50-year plus players.

The participants hail from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, Sweden, Wales and Malta as the host nation. At tournament’s thrilling conclusion tomorrow afternoon, a cash prize fund of up to €8,500 will be awarded to the winners.

As is typical with senior events in the tenpin bowling field, a system of age bonuses is being applied whereby an extra point for every year of age from 57 and above is awarded to players, for each game they play.

There is only one division, meaning that men and women compete with each other, but the women do get an extra ten points per game, over and above any age bonus.

Eden SuperBowl general manager and tournament director Neil Dent said: “The Malta Senior Open has always been known as one of the friendliest and enjoyable tournaments on the senior circuit, and as a result people are attracted back here year after year, many convincing their bowling colleagues to join them in what is really a unique bowling location in Europe.

“It makes us proud and happy to meet up with old friends and also to welcome new participants to the SuperBowl.”

The event sponsor is the Eden Leisure Group, parent company of the Eden SuperBowl, where top level international tournaments like the Senior Open and the Malta Open have been organised for the past 21 years.