oys get buoyant again

After being all but submerged by their female counterparts in the summer opener, the bearded Scrabblers have now raised their heads above the water. 

In the Santa Marija One-Day Tournament, three men, headed by Charles Micallef, followed by Mario Camilleri and Nicky Vella Laurenti, came out on top. After being the only player to beat Micallef on the day, Camilleri (seen in photo) was the highest riser up the National Player Ratings List. 

Male dominance has been the order of the day in the ongoing Summer League 1 where David Delicata, Nicky Vella Laurenti and Micallef are swimming above and ahead of their rivals in the upper section, while Paul Mifsud, Kevin Pirotta and Alfred Xuereb are the highest-ranked players in the lower section. 

A similar tide has swept across Summer League 2 where Frans Farrugia is topping the standings ahead of Pirotta and Camilleri. 

But the fortunes of the fair sex have not sunk so deep. Veteran player Carmen Stafrace pulled off a remarkable performance in the latest one-day tournament to finish fourth overall and win the ratings prize. Moira Fenech and Josephine Mayo are still afloat for a top three finish in Summer Leagues 1 and 2 respectively. 

Not to mention the planned late summer plunge of Theresa Brousson into the Il-Vitorja One-Day Tournament and the Independence One-Day Tournament, two events in September in which the ten time National Champion is sure to rise to the occasion. 

(penned and published by Nicky Vella Laurenti)