Galea, Zarb make strong showings

Reigning champion Keith Galea brushed aside all opposition to win the second race of the Birkirkara St Joseph Open Water Swim Series 2009.

Currently in the build-up to his international commitments in the UK and Belgium in a few weeks' time, Galea dominated the race to finish in a comfortable lead of two minutes and 12 seconds on his nearest rival.

In the women's race, ex-champion Isabelle Zarb was back to winning ways with a powerful swim following her below par performance in the first race.

Forty-five swimmers started the two-kilometre race in Qawra.

Galea, Roberto Demicoli and series leader Luke Bonnici, set a fast pace from the start. However, a few metres past the first kilometre mark Galea started to open a gap.

Demicoli and Bonnici had no reply to Galea's strong swimming. The latter hit the finish buoy in 32:54.

In the meantime, second place was being hotly disputed between Demicoli and Bonnici. It was only in the final sprint that the former managed to win this duel, leaving Bonnici in third place trailing a mere four seconds behind.

Demicoli's time was 3:06.

Following her defeat in the first race at the hands of Michelle Wood, Zarb was all out for revenge. However, it was not Wood who challenged the leader, but Roberta Zammit and Johanna Calleja.

Zarb took the lead from the start to finish the race in 36:25. Zammit was second in 37:18 and Calleja maintained third place in 38:02.

Demicoli leads the men's overall classification in 1:09.29. In the women's series, Zarb is now in first place in a time of 1:15.15.

The third race will be held on July 8.