Camilleri sets new mark

Chris Camilleri established a new record over the 200m distance during a series of sprint races held recently in Vittoriosa by the Malta Canoe Federation.

Kayak champion Camilleri was the one to register the best result of the day but overall a significant improvement was also shown by most of the competitors who paddled hard despite a strong headwind blowing on the day.

The Division One race was close. It was only in the last 100m that veteran Peter Borg Costanzi broke away from the pack, placing first in 2.37. Simon Gauci was two seconds slower and Andre Buhagiar, a relative newcomer to the sport, was third in 2.42.

All paddlers in Division Two jostled for position at the start of the race. The group soon split in two groups though as Camilleri took the lead followed closely by Matthew Schembri and Gerald Degaetano.

Camilleri maintained his position, finishing in 1.52. Schembri managed to stay ahead of Degaetano and Nicola Borg Costanzi placed fourth overall in 2.21.

Camilleri bettered the previous Malta record in the 200m sprint with a new time of 39 seconds.

Schembri and DeGaetano also improved their personal best over the distance with the former finishing in 41 seconds and Degaetano in 43 seconds.

The Division Two races were slightly slower but equally interesting as Chris Borg Costanzi and Benji Borg shot off leaving Nicola Borg Costanzi to catch up.

In the end, Borg produced a final sprint and finished first in a time of 51 seconds. Chris Borg Costanzi was one second slower and Nicola Borg Costanzi came in third with a time of 55 seconds.

There was a surprise in the last race of the day for Division Three contenders.

Simon Gauci was in the lead until James Vernon and Andre Buhagiar forged ahead. It was close all the way with Vernon placing first at 56 seconds and Buhagiar coming in one second behind. Peter Borg Costanzi placed third at exactly one minute.

The next event on the Malta Canoe Federation calendar is a 24-hour kayak marathon in aid of the Malta Hospice Movement on the weekend of September 26-27 at the Strand, Sliema.