The second race from the 2008 Birkirkara St Joseph Triathlon Series, held along the Salina coast road, produced some unexpected results for the winners in the male and female categories.
Malta women's triathlon champion Danica Spiteri managed to set a course record of one hour, eight minutes and 29 seconds, while last year's series winner Keith Galea chalked up his first victory following a string of disappointing performances.
The race's opening 750-metre swim was dominated by Mark Zammit who covered the distance in 11 minutes 6 seconds. Galea was 24 seconds behind and in front of Luke Bonnici who clocked 12 minutes 9 seconds. In the 20km bike segment, Galea grabbed the lead, completing the distance in 30 minutes 54 seconds.
At this stage, both Fabio Spiteri and Brian Magri started to make their presence felt, the former recording the best cycling time of the day with 30 minutes 29 seconds. However, Magri's outstanding performance in the final five-kilometre run, clocking a time of 17 minutes, nine seconds, was not enough to place him in the top three.
Galea finished the run in 18 minutes 52 seconds to place first in an overall time of one hour, one minute and 16 seconds, 39 seconds ahead of second-placed Zammit (1:01:57). Spiteri's time of 18 minutes, 21 seconds in the run saw him finish third in another personal best time of one hour, two minutes and six seconds.
However, the limelight was on Spiteri. Way out in front in the women's race as early as the swim segment, all eyes were on the clock. She swam the 750 metres in 12 minutes, 46 seconds before setting off on the 20km cycle.
It was her superb performance in this part of the race that clinched her the course's best time ever for a female triathlete. Her cycling time was 34 minutes 12 seconds, leaving her with enough power to run the final 10 kilometres in 21 minutes 31 seconds, stopping the clock in one hour, eight minutes and 29 seconds.
Second female was Joanna Calleja in one hour, 16 minutes and 13 seconds, in front of Michelle Wood who finished in one hour, 17 minutes and eight seconds.
The third race in this triathlon series will be held on August 31 on the Salina-Baħar iċ-Ċag]aq course, starting at 7.30 a.m.