Round one of the National Junior Championships was completed at the Eden SuperBowl with favourites Nathan Brimmer and Valentina Bezzina qualifying as top ranks.
Brimmer finished his first six games ahead of the field on 1,084 pins (180.6 average). His closest challengers at the halfway mark were Fabian Demicoli, 1,032 and Justin Caruana Scicluna, 1022.
Brimmer held on to his lead after the second set, improving to a 188.4 overall average (2,261 round total). The promising Caruana Scicluna moved into second place (2,193 total).
Ramon Casha, previously fourth, advanced to third place (2,085). The others to qualify were Keith Bugeja, Demicoli and James Vassallo.
The qualifiers in the girls' competition were Bezzina (2,042), Stephanie Said, Luisa Buttigieg, Claire Bugeja and Lorraine Galea.
The second round will take the form of a single round robin. After that the top two in each category will contest the finals.