A phenomenal total of 329 top-flight bowlers from no fewer than 58 countries, descended upon the S.F. Strike Bowl in Bangkok, Thailand at the end of August, for the 2008 Men's World Championships.
Malta was represented by a six-man contingent comprising Brian Farrugia, Kenneth Arpa, Paul Baldacchino, Matthew Caruana, Justin Caruana Scicluna and Mark Spiteri.
This latest edition of the world championships drew even more international attention than any of its precursors after the World Tenpin Bowling Congress approved the participation of bowlers, affiliated with the Professional Bowlers Association.
World-famous players such as Walter Ray Williams Jr, Chris Barnes and Patrick Allen are regarded as the elite of their chosen discipline but the question was how would they fare in the Far East, in an event renowned for its punishing lane conditions, and well away from their 'comfort zone', the PBA circuit.
The doubles event saw the pairing of Arpa and youngster Caruana Scicluna give a sound performance over their six games. They finished 63rd from a total of 162 competing teams, their 2,453 total converting to a very good combined 408 game average.
Caruana and Baldacchino placed 133rd, and Spiteri and Brian Farrugia finished three places behind in 136th.
The event was won by the PBA outfit of Patrick Allen and Rhino Page, of the US, the two beating Swedish aces Tomas Leandersson and Martin Larsen in a very tight 457-452 final.
Malta's best showing in the Trios event came from the team made up of Spiteri, Caruana Scicluna and Arpa who were seventh in their squad, but placed 33rd among 109 teams in all with a 3,548 tally over six (591-game average).
Caruana, Baldacchino and Farrugia finished in 91st place overall. The eventual trios champions were a Korean threesome who easily beat a team from Japan in the final (723- 553).
Baldacchino, Arpa, Farrugia, Caruana Scicluna and Spiteri were the members of Malta's five-man team for the most anticipated qualifying event of the championships, played over two three-game blocks on diverse oil conditions (long and short oil) as had the other team events.
Team Malta struggled in the initial block, all five players putting in at least one low game from their series of three, meaning they found themselves in the penultimate position at the halfway stage.
Our bowlers were able to analyse and make some crucial adjustments to their game overnight which resulted in a vastly-improved display during the second set.
The difference in the team was evident as most individual games started to top the 200-mark, meaning the Maltese side managed to keep pace with the big guns over the series. The Maltese bowlers set two new national records with a team series of 3,005 and also a final team game of 1,035, 60 pins better than the Brazilian outfit who were competing on the same lanes as Team Malta at that point.
This much better performance saw Malta shoot up the standings, to finish in a more respectable 38th place from 54 teams in all.
Malta ranked above a good number of larger and more prolific bowling nations in this event, such as Russia, Brazil, Scotland and Kuwait to name just a few.
The five-man team final was won by the US who edged Korea in a thriller.
It was in the singles that the Maltese bowlers produced the best result, thanks to Farrugia who was a joy to watch during his six games. Farrugia led his particular squad for much of the series, rolling games of 199, 222, 223, 236, 198 and 213 for an excellent 1289 total (214.8 ave).
Farrugia's efforts were rewarded with a brilliant seventh placing from an amazing total of 329 bowlers. Spiteri finished 86th as the singles title was won by American Walter Ray Williams Jr. who beat Germany's Kai Gunther 213-198 in the finals.
The American also prevailed in the exciting Masters KO finals after seeing off the challenge of Denmark's Jesper Agerbo.
Team Malta's participation in Bangkok was supported by GO, Emirates Airlines, the MTBA and the Maltese Olympic Committee, while regular training facilities for the participants were provided by the Eden Leisure Group at the Eden SuperBowl.