Galea first home overall

The Gozo-Malta Open Water Swimming Challenge 2008 came to a successful end last weekend, with 33 out of the 36 swimmers who started the race managing to finish what proved to be a gruelling race across the channel.

Angela Galea was the first swimmer to hit the finish buoy, while Simon Zammit trailed Galea to be the first male in.

The race started from the spectacular settings at il-Blata tal-Ħalfa, Qala, in calm and lucid waters.

However, the wind was fast picking up and by the time the swimmers reached Comino and headed towards Malta, conditions changed dramatically.

Heavy waves and strong currents sent the swimmers and their accompanying boats well off course, with skippers frantically trying to lead their athletes towards the finish at Marfa. Similar to her performance in the four kilometres of the Open Water Swimming Series earlier this month, Galea took the lead from the start, and was opening a gap by every stroke.

Her strong swimming bore good results as she stayed relatively on course, to finish the race in 1 hour 35 minutes 13 seconds. Second female to finish was young Bettina Chircop in 2 hours 20 minutes 15 seconds, followed by Isabelle Zarb in 2 hours 20 minutes 54 seconds.

Zammit made it to the shore in 1 hour 51 minutes 32 seconds.

During the final part of the race, however, second-placed Andrew Fleri Soler was reducing the gap on Zammit and managed to finish in 1 hour 55 minutes 29 seconds.

Andre Scicluna was third in the men's race in 2 hours 3 minutes 8 seconds.

Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club were assisted by the maritime squadrons of the Armed Forces of Malta, the Police and the Malta Maritime Authority.

Paramedics from the Gozo Section of the Red Cross were in attendance on their boat. Bertie Muscat was chief judge.