Anastasi caps another Maltese triumph in Vittoria

Newly-crowned hillclimb champion and Grimaldi Team Malta member Joshua Anastasi capped another successful outing for Maltese drivers in Sicily last weekend.

Anastasi was the winner of the eighth round of the Sicilian regional hillclimb and circuit championship in Vittoria, near Ragusa, topping his class for the third time in a row and breaking the track record. The previous best mark belonged to Maria La Rosa who clocked 58.8 seconds some months ago but Anastasi lowered it to a staggering 55.78 seconds for the full circuit.

Anastasi was not the only Maltese competitor to shine in Vittoria. On a day of mixed weather conditions and mixed fortunes, all nine Maltese participants produced a display of fine driving as well as great sportsmanship.

As he has done throughout this season, Anastasi was driving his JBR3 Kawasaki, sponsored by Grimaldi Lines, John Bull Racing, Ryans Irish Pub, Dunlop and Shell.

A close second overall and also first in his class was another Grimaldi Team Malta driver, young Zach Zammit, winner of the Cesaro hillclimb some months ago.

Zammit (Ralt Honda 2000) also set a new track record in his category, stopping the clocks at 56.72, with Italian veteran Salvatore Lombardo quickest among the locals in third place overall in his Formula Junior Fiat with a best lap of 58.11.

Steve Zammit Cutajar maintained his improving form, narrowly missing out on a top-three finish. He lapped in 58.24 with his Tatuus Suzuki Hyabusa to finish fourth overall while young La Rosa again performed admirably in her Formula Abarth Suzuki, lowering her own lap record to 58.52 which was good enough for fifth place overall.

Giuseppe Marinelli could go no better than sixth in his powerful GISA Renault, pipping Matthew Zammit by just a hundreth of a second in the process. Zammit endured another troubled weekend, his father Alex working overtime to get the Van Diemen Suzuki to run properly all day. Thus, Zammit's time cannot be taken as a realistic reflection of his performance on the day.

Another notable showing came from Patrick Gauci who steered his Hawke Kawasaki to an excellent eighth overall, followed by Giovanni Novara's smart Nola Suzuki and the first of the touring cars, Mark Galea's Subaru Impreza WRX.

Galea had the crowd on its feet throughout his performance and the commentator awarded him with the accolade of showman of the day. Galea also topped the charts in his section.

John Zammit also had good reason to be satisfied with his performance as he finished 11th overall in his Lotus Elite and topping his very competitive class.

David Anastasi finished a respectable 14th, winning his class again in his Mini Doda Honda, and building a comfortable lead in the Italian Championship with one round to go.

Like Matthew Zammit, Edward Calleja was hit by mechanical difficulties on his Sicilian baptism. His Lotus Elise Honda had gear selection problems on the day but Calleja still managed to place 18th overall and first in his class.

The event, which was well organised by Nanso Salerno and his small team at the Pista Sole Luna, attracted a good entry of just over 100 drivers from all over Sicily. The Maltese again excelled and were exemplary not only in their driving but also through their sporting behaviour.

When the commentator announced Anastasi's winning time on the public address, the grandstand gave him a long ovation and it wasn't just the many Maltese present who were cheering. After the last car had crossed the finish line, organiser Salerno asked the nine Maltese participants to do a lap of honour.

It is now three out of three for Maltese drivers, Zach Zammit winning in Cesaro, Hubert Camilleri in the Etna hillclimb and now Joshua Anastasi in Vittoria.

Sponsorship permitting, some Maltese drivers intend to cross over to Sicily again in a couple of weeks' time to participate in the three-kilometre hillclimb at Adrano where they will be looking to maintain their perfect record.