Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/842553
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 28 JUNE 2017 23 Sport MOTORSPORTS Answers to the MaltaToday crossword will be published next Wednesday WEATHER: Fine with some high clouds VISIBILITY: Good WIND: Southerly force 3 locally force 4 becoming South Southwest in the evening. SEA: Slight. To south of area: becoming locally slight to moderate later. SWELL: Negligible A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 White to play and mate in four moves A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Last week's solution Sudoku rules are extremely easy: Fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear once in each row, column and 9x9 box. SUNNY 35 º C / 24 º C UV INDEX: 11 Today's Weather Chess Sudoku Pursuits Across 1. Teacher (10) 6. Solemn promise (6) 7. Profane expression (4) 10. Sum (5) 11. Automaton (5) 12. Consumed (3) 13. Sheep cry (5) 14. Crawl (5) 16. Skills (4) 18. Country (6) 19. Woman who is a manager (10) Down 1. Something that is put in (5) 2. Confection (9) 3. Control (8) 4. Also (3) 5. Close (4) 8. Lake District town (9) 9. Remains of anything ruined (8) 13. Prejudice (4) 15. Languishes with longing (5) 17. Male child (3) Bd6+ Kd8 Rxb8# (or Rxg8#) 16-year old Kyle Mercieca: another emerging kart racing talent ALFRED A. FARRUGIA IN his very first international karting race at the Adria Kart- ing Raceway last year, 16-year old Kyle Mercieca finished in an excellent 6th place. He im- proved his time with every lap and impressed his team - the Competitive Kart Racing (CKR) Team of Padova, Italy. The innovative 1302 metre- long Adria Karting Raceway is one of the leading kart racing circuits in the world, and it is homologated with the Inter- national Karting Commission (CIK) of the International Au- tomobile Federation (FIA). The Adria track, which has wide escape routes, is located in the north of Italy very close to the Adriatic sea and its sandy beaches, just 20 kilometres away from Rovigo. Kyle was racing a new CKR kart with a new IAME engine. Yet he learned very quickly and gave a good account of him- self in the X30 race in the KRS Open Series by WSK. Kyle has been rac- ing since he was 10 years old, and he showed a lot of prom- ise from the very beginning. In the circum- stances, his fam- ily backs him up completely. He has participated in time trials and other practice ses- sions here in Malta at both Ta' Qali and Hal Far, where he placed first on occasions. At the beginning of this month, Kyle had his first ex- perience racing in rainy condi- tions. He participated in the first round of the Sicilian Re- gional Championship at the Triscina International Circuit in Trapani. Kyle placed second in the qualifying session of the 125 Rotax Max class registering a best lap of 1 minute 4.954 sec- onds, just 0.15 seconds slower than pole sitter Michele Puglisi. In the pre-final race, Kyle fin- ished in third place, recording a best lap of 1 minute 5.292 sec- onds in the 7th lap. Unfortunately, Kyle failed to finish the final race completing only 3 laps out of 15, finishing in 4th place. However, it was a very impor- tant experience for Kyle, and he intends to compete in Sicily more often if he finds the nec- essary support. He hopes that he will find some more support from a few sponsors so that he may continue to improve his performance. Kyle is studying engineer- ing to complement his racing skills, and he has also set up his own team – KM Racing Team. Other karting drivers are invit- ed to join his team and he will assist all members of his team with setting the karts, stock- ing parts, and preparation for local and foreign events. He is also representing CKR karts in Malta, which produces karts for 4 year-olds and above. Kyle has a very bright future ahead of him and with more practice he will soon begin to get podium finishes not only in Malta but also abroad. Kyle Mercieca in action at the Adria Karting Raceway where he finished 6th Kyle Mercieca