The Valletta Subbuteo Club, this year celebrating their 25th anniversary, have just taken part in the fourth Grand Prix of France tournament, organised by the Issy-Les-Moulineaux Table Football Club.

Most of the leading players in all categories were in attendance with the Valletta players bidding to defend the title they won last year in France.

The Valletta team was composed of Derek Conti, Mario Camilleri, Chris Thomas, Christian Short, Jason Pisani, Alfred Fenech, Stephen Rizzo and Matt Lampitt.

Valletta topped their section after beating Grosseto ‘B’ of Italy 4-0 and France’s Verviers 2-0.

In the next rounds, the Citizens eliminated another French side, Montivilliers, 3-0, and Austrian side Royal 78 Kaisermuhlen 2-0.

In the semi-final, Valletta took on Pisa. The match ended 1-1 but the Italians made it to the final due to a better goal difference (4-6).

Day Two of the Grand Prix was reserved for individual competitions.

Fenech, Camilleri and Pisani played in the tournament for veterans while Conti, Rizzo, Lampitt and Short took part in the Open.

Fenech failed to qualify from the group stage. Camilleri and Pisani clashed in the quarter-finals with the former winning the match on penalties. However, Camilleri was beaten by Claudio Dogali in the semis.

Rizzo did not make the knock-out stages of the Open tournament as Lampitt was ousted in the Last 16. Short and Conti bowed out in the quarter-finals.

Conti lost his match to Valletta team-mate Thomas who went on to win the tournament after seeing off no.1 seed Saverio Bari in extra-time.