BoV Winter League holders Sliema will meet San Ġiljan in this season's competition due to start on March 6.

This first clash is followed by two other matches on the same day - Neptunes vs Sirens and Exiles vs Marsascala.

The draws were made yesterday during a press conference held at the BOV Centre in Sta Venera where the bank's Chief Officer Peter Perotti and ASA vice-president Simon Galea Testaferrata addressed the journalists.

Perotti said that BOV is confident that its backing for local waterpolo competitions has been instrumental in raising the level of the game in our islands.

"Sport," he said, "is an area in which the bank has a very strong presence, with its support extending to waterpolo, football and basketball, among other disciplines.

"This is the third year that BOV is sponsoring the Winter League and we believe that through this backing we are contributing directly towards the development of new talent, while at the same time providing a healthy and entertaining environment for all supporters."

Speaking on behalf of ASA president Austin Sammut, Galea Testaferrata said that this year's edition of the pre-season competition promises to be another interesting and successful sporting event.

"The effort that is always put in by teams during this league ensures healthy competition that serves to elevate the sport and provide spectators with an exciting series of matches," he said.

"This year, the Malta national waterpolo team will be participating in the European Championships in its new home-and-away format starting in October.

"The BOV Winter League is the perfect stepping stone for the national team's preparation for the qualification tournament to be held in April in Istanbul, Turkey."

Galea Testaferrata ended by thanking Bank of Valletta for their continuous support resulting in a fruitful relationship between the Aquatic Sports Association (ASA) and BOV over the past three years.

Six teams will be taking part in the competition this year, namely Exiles, Marsascala, Neptunes, San Ġiljan, Sirens and Sliema.

The first round will be completed by the end of March, with the competition taking a backseat to make way for Easter, the seasonal swimming meeting and Malta's participation in the LEN Championships in Turkey.

The first four teams will resume the final round in May to determine the winner of the competition.