Close tussle in men’s running league

It will come as no surprise to anyone if one were to state that participation in road races is on the increase.

Just before Christmas, there was a massive, record turnout for the Mdina-Spinola race and so were the numbers at the 25th Malta Marathon last Spring.

On a more modest scale, but also significant, 126 athletes recently turned up on the Siġġiewi by-pass at the last encounter of this winter season’s Road Running League competition, moulding the event into an entertaining, close tussle, especially the team event for men.

Besides the early morning competition not being to everyone’s liking and with Jonathan Balzan absent, it was anybody’s guess who would capture the individual honours on the 5km route.

Be it as it may, it was Mark Herrera, for Pembroke Athleta, perhaps making a comeback to long-distance racing, who rounded the last bend in front, to scoot up the slight hill finish in a time of 16 minutes 13 seconds.

Hot on his heels was Gerald Grech, the Libertas front-runner finishing two seconds adrift and just ahead by another second from Charles Cilia of Mellieħa, in a repeat of their finish at Tal-Maqluba.

With Brian Magri fourth, Drew Lang and Mario Pisani in ninth and 10th respectively, Pembroke Athleta not only made sure of winning this leg, but also ensured that they leapfrogged Mellieħa and former leaders Żurrieq Wolves to go top of the table on 68 points.

Mellieħa got in their foursome within the first 11 finishers to score 29 points and take their total to 70 while Żurrieq at this leg only managed 43 points, to fall to third place overall on 73 points.

So, with just five points separating these three teams, this competition promises to be one of the tightest ever battles for the honours.

Dominant in the women’s event, Lisa Marie Bezzina has her sights firmly set on making the grade to Liechtenstein for the 2011 Games of the Small States of Europe.

To make it a double for the Pembroke club, she finished the course in 18 minutes and 31 seconds – incidentally she won the M2S quite convincingly.

Rita Galea, of St Patrick’s, trailed by just over half a minute. Angela Sammut, from the same club, came in third, and with Carmen Hili finishing fifth, the Saints won another ten points to take their total to a formidable 20, leaving the others adrift in the team event.

However, the tussle for the lesser women team prizes is still wide open, with Pembroke so far on 55 points.

Mellieħa and Żurrieq Wolves, amassing 61 and 65 points respectively, may, however, yet turn the tables, with another three legs still to go, the first of which falls on January 9, with the popular Qawra event. The race is scheduled to start at 8 a.m.