Maltese kayakers return home after 324 kilometre trip

Two suntanned Maltese kayakers reached land at Golden Sands this morning, after a gruelling 324 kilometres of paddling in a kayak from Tunisia.

Albert Gambina and Dorian Vassallo arrived in Malta at about 11.30 a.m. tired but pleased with their achievement.

They were welcomed by about 40 people who gathered on the beach to celebrate the team’s success.

The aim of their six day marathon was to collect funds for Puttinu Cares and raise awareness about cancer.

Dorian, whose late wife was a cancer victim, said he was very pleased to have concluded the distance, the longest ever travelled by a Maltese in a kayak.

They were pleased with the awareness they managed to create but looked forward to going home for a good rest.

The first part of the trip, he said, was the hardest because they paddled for 25.5 hours straight with the last 20 miles that day battling force five winds.

In 2008, they went to Pozzallo from Marsalforn in a kayak and last year they circumnavigated the Maltese islands.