Gibraltar Cultural Services (GCS), on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, has announced the winners of this year’s Spring Festival Short Story Competition. Organised in conjunction with the Gibraltar Chronicle, this very popular annual competition attracted a total of 446 entries across a wide age range, from school children to adults. 

The awards were presented by the Minister for Culture, Christian Santos, on Wednesday 25th June at an awards ceremony held at BOOKgem. 

A panel of judges consisting of Melissa Bosano and Josephine Cassaglia judged the competition. 

The Winners are:

The Ministry of Culture Award – Overall Competition Winner – £1000

Winner: Daniel Francis Brancato with ‘The Rock In My Teacup’ 

Best Adult Story in English Language:

Winner (£500): Colin Golt with ‘Calypso’s Loch’ 

Runner-up: Stephanie Moore with ‘Borderline’

Highly Commended: Julian Felice with ‘Abigail’s Library’ 

Best Story in Spanish Language:

Winner (£500): Brian Gordon with ‘Arsenio’

Runner-up: Mark Montovio with ‘Thé à La Menthe’

Highly Commended: Anabella Torres with ‘La Cuidadora del Jardin’ 

Llanito Category:

Winner (£500): Naomi Duarte with ‘Mujeres Entre La Linea y El Valor’ 

Runner-up: Sophie Macdonald with ‘Anderson House'

Highly Commended: Stephen Perera with ‘Shining a Light on the 70s (con el torch del portero del Queens)’ 

School Years 11 to 13:

Winner: Chava Bayles with ‘Tomorrow’ – Gibraltar Girls High School

Runner-up: Siena May Lee with ‘Once Upon Our Time’ – Prior Park School

Highly Commended: Zachary Vassallo with ‘Martirio’ – Bayside Comprehensive School 

School Years 8 to 10:

Winner: Leah Hobbs with ‘Natures Mess’ – Bayside Comprehensive School Runner-up: Filip Kovacevic with ‘The Escape’ – Prior Park School
Highly Commended: Cecilia Alarcon Bravo with ‘Unlikely’ – Prior Park School 

School Years 6 to 7: 

Winner: Maria Underwood with ‘The Walk Home’ – Bayside Comprehensive School 

Runner-up: Jai Gracia with ‘Legacies Live On’- Westside Comprehensive School 

Highly Commended: Sophie Llambias Mor with ‘The Man With The Flag’ - Bayside Comprehensive School 

School Years 4 to 5:

Winner: David Brenig with ‘The Underdog’s Goal’ – Hebrew Primary School

Runner-up: Amelia Gordon with ‘Sunday’ – Loreto Convent School

Highly Commended: Ollie Rudden with ‘The Lost Treasure of Costa Rica’ – Loreto Convent School 

GCS would like to thank the judges, the Gibraltar Chronicle and all participants for their continued support.