Galea, Spiteri live up to reputation at Salina Bay

Danica Spiteri and Dermot Galea confirmed they are the ones to beat when they managed to defend their titles at the ChooseMalta.com National Triathlon Championship which was held on Sunday at the Salina Coast Road.

The race was a fitting finale to the 2007 season which saw no fewer than eight championship races organised by both the Malta Triathlon Association and Birkirkara St Joseph SC, besides various other events aimed at promoting the sport.

Twenty-four athletes plunged into the placid waters at Salina Bay for the start of the 19th National Championship which saw them swim a distance of 1,500m.

The first athlete out of the water was Macedonian Stojan Popovski in a time of 20m 57s. He was followed two minutes later by Mark Zammit, Dermot Galea and Keith Galea.

Danica Spiteri was seventh on to the beach in 25m 34s, followed three minutes later by Michelle Wood and Donatelle Callus.

In the 40km cycle segment, Dermot Galea pushed himself to the limit to establish the fastest cycle time of 1:01.18 and overhaul Popovski by a few seconds. The next fastest times on the bike belonged to Fabio Spiteri and Keith Galea.

Spiteri's cycle time of 1:09.01 was only marginally better than that of Callus who had moved to second place in the women's race while Wood slipped to third.

In the 10km run, Popovski regained the lead and managed to hang on to it, winning the triathlon in 2:04.15. Dermot Galea was second, and first Maltese, in 2:04.46 while Steve Brookes, from the UK, finished third in 2:04.58.

Brian Magri, who had the fastest run split of 34m 49s, finished fourth overall in 2:07.05. Fabio Spiteri was third Maltese in 2:08.02.

Danica Spiteri again recorded the fastest run split of 47:13 in the women's category and went on the win the triathlon in 2:21.48. Second was Callus in 2:26.08 while Wood was third in 2:33.29.

Joseph Cassar, Secretary General of the Maltese Olympic Committee, Franco Azzopardi, Malta Sports Council chairman, and Jonathan Shaw, Managing Director of ChooseMalta.com, distributed the trophies to the winners.

The race was also sponsored by Air Malta, Vogue, Kristal Water and Plum Tree Restaurant.