Senglea underlined their supremacy in the local rowing scene yesterday when they won the Freedom Day regatta for the third year running.
The Senglea oarsmen (Rhys Fiteni, Lawrence Ciantar, Clay-ton Darmanin, Donald Gilford, Christian Aquilina, Gilmour Zammit, John Martin Mifsud and Dennis Thornton), again roared on by their loyal followers from underneath the bastion walls on the Cottonera side of the Grand Harbour, made sure of a ninth March 31 Aggregate Shield thanks to their first placings in three of the five races in pro-gramme.
They also made the podium in the other two events for the Open Category.
The red-and-yellow fans had good reason to celebrate at the end of the day as their youth team, composed of the club’s upcoming talent, secured victory in the B Category to make it a double for Senglea.
Strangely, both A and B Senglea teams finished with the same tally of points – 76.
In the Open catgory, Senglea’s fierce rivals Cospicua again had to settle for second best, this time a distant 36 points behind the winners. Kalkara won two races but still finished third with 36 points, followed by Marsa, 14, and Vittoriosa, six.
The young Senglea rowers in the B Category won four events, all in convincing style. The only race they missed out on was the one for kajjikki, which was won by Marsamxett.
The club from Valletta finished second in the final standings in the competition for youths but way behind Senglea on 46 points.
Cospicua accumulated 18 points for third place and Birżebbuġa and Vittoriosa tied for fourth place on 16 points each.
The races yesterday did not attract the same big crowds that normally fill most of the vantage points around Grand Harbour for the traditional September 8 regatta.
Also, a prolonged protest, right at the end of the opening race, delayed the programme of races by several minutes.
That unscheduled stop brought about a long lull of inactivity on the water, forcing some spectators to leave earlier than expected even though the organisers, Kunsill Malti għall-Isport, did well to recoup the lost time as the programme of races developed in the afternoon.
Open Category
Medalji: 1. Senglea; 2. Cospicua; 3. Marsa.
Frejgatini: 1. Kalkara; 2. Senglea; 3. Cospicua.
Tal-Pass (x 2 1. Kalkara; 2. Sen-glea; 3. Vittoriosa.
Kajjikki: 1. Senglea; 2. Cospicua; 3. Kalkara.
Tal-Pass (x 4 1. Senglea; 2. Cos-picua; 3. Marsa.
Final standings: Senglea 76 points; Cospicua 40; Kalkara 36; Marsa 14; Vittoriosa 6.
B Category
Tal-Pass (x 2 1. Senglea; 2. Bir-żebbuġa; 3. Marsamxett.
Kajjikki: 1. Marsamxett; 2. Cos-picua; 3. Birżebbuġa.
Medalji: 1. Senglea; 2. Mar-samxett; 3. Cospicua.
Frejgatini: 1. Senglea; 2. Mar-samxett; 3. Cospicua.
Tal-Pass (x 4 1. Senglea; 2. Vit-toriosa; 3. Marsamxett.
Final standings: Senglea 76 points; Marsamxett-Valletta 46; Cospicua 18; Birżebbuġa 16; Vittoriosa 16.
Winners last 10 years
(March 31 Shield)
2011 Senglea
2010 Senglea
2009 Senglea/Marsa
2008 Cospicua
2007 Cospicua/Marsa
2006 Marsamxett
2005 Marsa
2004 Cospicua/Marsamxett
2003 Marsa
2002 Senglea