Under-17 Russian swimmer Denis Adeev and Hannah Pace won their respective categories in the fourth race of the Power Bar Open Water Swimming Championships 2012, organised by Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club under the auspices of the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta.

Two separate waves of swimmers started this penultimate two-kilometre race of these championships. Although the young Russian swimmer and the Italian Matteo Ammannati were not in the first wave, all eyes were on them as they started to open a gap on their group by the first turning of the 500-metre loop. Adeev won the race in 30 minutes, 18 seconds, more than a minute ahead of the Italian, who finished second in 31 minutes, 21 seconds. Under-14 swimmer Jordan Calleja finished third in 32 minutes, 24 seconds.

Hannah Pace turned on an outstanding performance in the females’ race, to register her first victory of the championships. She had to hold off the stiff challenge of both Victoria Ann Hardy and Marian Belsten, who were always a few seconds behind her throughout the four 500-metre laps. Pace finished first in 34 minutes, 51 seconds, in front of Hardy (35:21) and Belsten (35:59).

The next race of these championships will be the 4,000-metre event, which will be held at St. Paul’s Bay on1 August, starting at 5pm. This event serves also as a qualifier for this year’s 11-kilometre Malta-Gozo-Malta and 5.5-kilometre Gozo-Malta Open Water Swimming Competitions organised by the Club on the 18 August.

The final race of the Power Bar Open Water Swimming Championships 2012 will be held on the 29 August at 6pm.