A. Pembroke road races on April 9

Athleta Pembroke will be holding the 12th edition of their road races on April 9. This was announced recently by section president Victor Camilleri during the event's launching at the Westin Hotel Dragonara.

Camilleri said the club prides itself in offering the first encounter for beginners in athletics.

Most of the country's elite athletes who started at the club, the likes of Darren F. Gilford, Charlene Attard and Mark Herrera, have participated in these races. The club motto for the 2006 series is Fun and Safety for All.

The 10km open challenge, the principal race that starts at 8.30 a.m., will be sponsored by Kyocera Mita.

Leading runners from local clubs will once again test their ability on the varied course, where athletes like John Buhagiar, Drew Lang and Brian Magri are expected to be among the protagonists. Flying the flag for the club will be Herrera, seeking to add the Open race to his increasing collection of trophies.

The favourites in the women's race will be Carol Walsh, fresh from winning a 10km race in the US, and Lisa Marie Bezzina, the 2006 Malta Half Marathon winner.

Joelle Cortis will be going for the Junior 5km record.

Fexco Western Union is to sponsor the 5km race open to all categories, except cadets and youths. The sponsors here will be Sedqa and Nike respectively. For the more popular 1.3 km Fun Run, the sponsors are Safari Fruit Juices.

There will be trophies for the first three in the 5km race, the first four in the 3km race and the top five in the 10km race. Cash vouchers will be awarded to the first three males and the first three winners of the main race.

The Pembroke Local Council will be presenting the shield for the highest entry from any one school, to be kept until next year.

The Swieqi Local Council will be rewarding the first male and the first female from the locality with a shield each.