On a day that marked a record number of triathletes taking part in the second race of this year’s edition of the Birkirkara St. Joseph Triathlon Series, national champions Dermot Galea and Danica Spiteri crushed all opposition to win emphatically, clearly sounding out signals that they will not relinquish the crown they have won last year so easily.
Thirty nine triathletes and two relay teams, started the 750 metres swim at Salina Bay. Race One winner Mark Zammit set his usual fast pace in this segment, ahead of the Birkirkara St. Joseph duo of Dermot Galea and Luke Bonnici.
However, due to a leg injury, the race leader, who completed the swim in 11 minutes 29 seconds, had to retire.
Galea, who was nine seconds ahead of his team-mate, set off on his bike following his 11 minutes 53 seconds swim. The champion wrapped up the race during the 20 kilometre cycle, which he finished in 30 minutes 55 seconds.
Bonnici, with a place on the podium in sight, registered a time of 32 minutes 39 seconds on his bike, almost two minutes ahead of a group made up of Nathan Farrugia, Cliff Sultana and Brian Magri.
The latter’s running prowess, however, proved too much for Bonnici. In fact Magri finished the final five-kilometre run in 17 minutes, eight seconds, to beat Bonnici for second place by 21 seconds, in a time of one hour, five minutes 45 seconds. Galea finished a comfortable first in one hour, one minute, 49 seconds.
This year’s highly competitive duel in the female sector between national champion Danica Spiteri and Birkirkara St. Joseph’s Michelle Wood, went Spiteri’s way with a powerful performance.
Spiteri led the Birkirkara girl by four seconds in the 750 metres swim with a time of 13 minutes 39 seconds. The gap continued to widen by another 23 seconds in the 20-kilometre bike segment, with Spiteri starting the five-kilometre run following a 36 minutes 23 seconds cycle.
Wood could not find the legs to sustain her challenge in the run, handing over victory to Spiteri who finished the race in one hour 12 minutes 16 seconds - a margin of one minute and eight seconds on her rival. Donatelle Callus finished third in one hour, 22 minutes, 43 seconds.
The next race in this series will be held on Sunday, 20 September starting at 7.30am at Salina Bay.