ff-the-back riders glide uphill to reduce gap

Amongst Malta's Scrabble players, whose undying passion for the game was recently channelled into the tired legs of the brave members of the Alive Charity Foundation cycling across Europe to raise funds for and give hope to the cancer sufferers of today and tomorrow, it was the laggards who stole the show, catching up with the peloton and in some cases moving up close behind the breakaway riders and eventual race winners.

One of the most remarkable rides in the Sette Giugno 1-Day Tournament was by Dave Parkin (seen in photo), who in only his fourth Competitive Scrabble event, finished third in the B Division, behind Bryan Priest (second) and Kevin Pirotta (first), both of whom he beat in direct encounters. These upsets helped the British Malta resident gain a wallopping 94 points on the National Player Rating List. Behind Parkin, Rosanne Farrugia leapfrogged to fourth position in just her third competitive attempt. 

A rare and rear momentum was also expressed in the A Division where Mario Seychell powered his way up from the bottom half of the field and from four months of competitive inactivity to second overall, a few spread points ahead of former National Champion Charles Micallef and just one win short of overall winner, the defending and eleven time National Champion Theresa Brousson. Courageously choosing to compete against the best, Maria Scicluna climbed up from being the bottom seed in the division to winning the Ratings Prize. 

An impressive show of fighting spirit worthy of the cause for which it was staged!

Click here for complete results and here for updated player ratings.

(penned & published by Nicky Vella Laurenti, photo credit John Chew)