Galea, Spiteri seal titles

The fourth race from this year's Birkirkara St Joseph Triathlon Series was a fitting finale to an eventful season. National team triathletes Keith Galea and Danica Spiteri, two contenders for the ultimate crown in Sunday's national championships, won the race and the series in style.

In the men's race, Keith Galea led from start to finish. He was first in the 750-metre swim in 13 minutes 25 seconds, followed by Luke Bonnici who finished 20 seconds behind. William Brydon was third in 14 minutes 27 seconds.

In the bike segment, the race took a different turn. Brian Magri and Fabio Spiteri cycled their way up from eighth and ninth positions to third and fourth. At bike-to-run transition, Galea opened up a 48-second gap on Bonnici, with Spiteri, who had to abandon the previous race due to a puncture, narrowing the gap with the leaders to 1 minute 47 seconds.

Galea cycled the 20-kilometre distance in 31 minutes 37 seconds. His advantage was large enough to wrap up the race in the final five-kilometre run. He covered the distance in 18 minutes 53 seconds to win the race in one hour, two minutes 53 seconds.

In the final 200 metres of the race, Bonnici surrendered second place to Spiteri who finished in one hour, four minutes and two seconds. The former was seriously threatened by Magri's brilliant 16:40 run. In fact, Bonnici just managed to hold on to third place, edging Magri by a mere second.

Danica Spiteri cruised to a comfortable win in the women's race, making amends for the upset in her previous race. Her victory was made easier after her closest rival, Donatelle Callus, fell off her bike during the cycle phase.

Spiteri swam the 750m in 13 minutes 25 seconds ahead of Michelle Wood (14:54) and Johanna Calleja (14:58).

Callus crashed in the opening stages of the cycling segment and notwithstanding the considerable damage done to her bike, she opted to soldier on. By the end of the cycle, Spiteri had amassed a two minute 24 second lead on Wood, with Callus coming in third in 38 minutes 10 seconds. Spiteri, looking comfortable and strong, ran the final five kilometres in 22 minutes 49 seconds to finish the race in 1 hour 11 minutes 50 seconds.

Callus, visibly demoralised, fought back with a 21 minute 41 seconds run to come home second in one hour 14 minutes 58 seconds, 34 seconds ahead of Wood.

The Birkirkara SJ Series was organised under the auspices of the Malta Triathlon Association and sponsored by Red Bull.