Sean Attard and Lorraine Casha, winners of this year's Gold Cup qualifying tournament at the Eden SuperBowl, recently travelled to Kiev, Ukraine, to represent Malta in the European Gold Cup 2004.

No fewer than 24 countries, including England, Germany, France, Italy and Holland, competed in this annual tournament which incorporates singles and mixed doubles events.

Attard and Casha, trained by youth coach Pierre German and assisted by the Malta Tenpin Bowling Association, the Malta Olympic Committee and Eden SuperBowl, fared pretty well over their six-game doubles session to finish 10th with a combined effort of 2,186 pins, including handicap. Individually, Attard played a game average of 176 and Casha 170.

The Mixed Doubles was won by Israel's pair. England and Greece were second and third respectively.

Bowlers had to play 18 games in the singles, with the top eight proceeding to a round robin competition to determine the three step-ladder finalists.

Improved play

Casha again played well over her 18 games, managing a slightly improved 171 average, and only missing out on a place in the round robin stage by 104 pins.

She rolled better scores than her national average in an international competition which surely augurs well for her in future.

Attard also improved over his 18 games, playing to a 181 average which was enough to put him sixth, thus securing his place in the next stage. He showed no sign of faltering under the pressure and played to an excellent 196 average over the seven games, although he was only able to win two of his games.

That was enough for him to clinch a bronze medal with gold going to an Ukraine bowler and silver falling to a Lithuanian.