Mangion and Demicoli – 2010 champions

The persistence of Davina Mangion and Roberto Demicoli in the water saw both swimmers crowned champions following their performances in this year’s Open Water Swimming Series, organised by Birkirkara St Joseph.

An unprecedented 104 swimmers took part in this multi-leg compe­tition, highlighting the fast growing popularity of open water swimming following its introduction in the 2008 Beijing Games.

The series is held under the auspices of the Aquatic Sports Association and consists of six races, five over a distance of two kilometres, and another of four kilometres.

The overall classification is worked out on the best four times in the two-kilometre swims, added to the time registered in the longer race.

Mangion, winner of the inaugural 11km Malta-Gozo-Malta Challenge 2010, was unbeaten in all six races of the series. She accumulated a best time of 2 hours, 46 minutes and 50 seconds, averaging a speed of 13 minutes and 54 seconds per kilometre.

Isabelle Zarb was second, 3:21.01, and Caroline Zammit third in 3:39.59.

Demicoli wrapped up the championship with a time of 3:05.55. He won the second race in the series, finished second on four other occasions and placed fourth in the four-kilometre swim.

Keith Galea won the first and third races of the series, Mark Zammit was the first swimmer home in the fourth and Gabriel Pace won the fifth. Mark Sammut touched first in the final race.

Andrew Grech finished second behind Demicoli in the final classification in a time of 3:12.22.

Young Wayne Agius was third in 3:15.39.