Senglea won the traditional Victory Day regatta in Grand Harbour yesterday. It was the 21st such victory in the history of the red and yellow outfit from Cottonera and the third in a row.

Senglea earned a total of 62 points, six more than their direct opponents and neighbouring rivals Cospicua.

The Category B Shield was won by Kalkara with 76 points, well clear of second-placed Vittoriosa that accumulated 52 points at the end of the class’s five races held in choppy waters and difficult conditions for the oarsmen.

This year, the regatta was organised for the first time by the Malta Sports Council.

As in previous years, seven clubs took part and, apart from Senglea and Cospicua, there was also the participation of Kalkara, Marsa, Marsamxett Valletta, Vittoriosa and Birżebbuġa.

In the Dgħajjes tal-Midalji Category A race, the four Cospicua rowers – Melchior Farrugia, George Frendo, Dimitri Gordin and Ryan Refalo – took the lead some 400 metres from the finishing line and never relinquished that lead. They finished ahead of Senglea and Marsa.

Senglea trio Christian Aquilina, Gilmour Zammit and Michael Bonnici triumphed in the Frejgatini race, the second event for the top class oarsmen.

This race was characterised by a tight contest that dragged into the final metres. However, in the end, Senglea, whose boat almost collided with that of Cospicua, took the honours as Cospicua had to settle for third, behind Marsa.

The Senglea-Cospicua dominion was broken in the third race when, quite surprisingly, Valletta’s Dennis Thornton and Martin Mifsud led all the way in the Dgħajjes C Tal-Pass with two rowers.

They won comfortably, leaving in their wake the boats from Cospicua and Senglea, second and third placed respectively.

Those were the only points Valletta won yesterday as Charlton Abela and Maximilion Mamo, of Cospicua, then chalked up 12 points for the Blues in the Kajjikki race. Here, the Cospicua boat overtook hot favourites Senglea a few metres from the finishing line, winning by the tightest of margins. Senglea had won this particular race nine times in a row.

The last race, Dgħajjes C Tal-Pass with four rowers, was to determine the winner between Cospicua and Senglea. This race carries most points with 24 going to the winners.

Cospicua only needed to finish second to secure the title they last won in 1994 as they were momentarily leading by 10 points over their nearest rivals. However, Senglea had other plans and went on to win the race thanks to the strong showing of Rhys Fiteni, Lawrence Ciantar, Clayton Darmanin and Donald Gilford. This quartet had an excellent start and went on to win the race well ahead of Marsa as Cospicua gave up the chase in the straight for home.

Malta Sports Council chairman Bernard Vassallo presented the traditional shields to the officials and rowers from Kalkara and Senglea at the end of the races.

Results

Race 1: Dgħajjes C Tal-Pass (Category B) 1. Kalkara (Noel Bugeja/Roderick Briffa, 5.50”); 2. Senglea; 3. Cospicua.

Race 2: Dgħajjes A Tal-Midalji (Category A) 1. Cospicua (Melchior Farrugia/George Frendo/Dimitri Gordin/Ryan Refalo, 4.38”); 2. Senglea; 3. Marsa.

Race 3: Kajjikki (Category B) 1. Kalkara (Kurt Vassallo/Mariano Rodriguez, 6.18”); 2. Senglea; 3. Vittoriosa.

Race 4: Frejgatini (Category A) 1. Senglea (Christian Aquilina/ Gilmour Zammit/ Michael Bonnici, 6.54”); 2. Marsa; 3. Cospicua.

Race 5: Dgħajjes A Tal-Midalji (Category B) 1. Vittoriosa (Clyde Aquilina/Elvin Ciantar/ Joshua Lagana/Dylan Portelli, 4.45”); 2. Kalkara; 3. Cospicua.

Race 6: Dgħajjes C Tal-Pass (Category A) 1. Marsamxett (Dennis Thornton/Martin Mifsud, 5.40”); 2. Cospicua; 3. Senglea.

Race 7: Frejgatini (Category B) 1. Vittoriosa (Ailer Azzopardi/ Elvin Ciantar/ Charles Cachia, 6.57”); 2. Kalkara; 3. Senglea.

Race 8: Kajjikki (Category A) 1. Cospicua (Charlton Abela/ Maximilion Mamo, 6.16”); 2. Senglea; 3. Marsa.

Race 9: Dgħajjes B Tal-Pass (Category B) 1. Kalkara (William Mifsud/Roderick Briffa/Kurt Vassallo/Noel Bugeja, 5.21”); 2. Vittoriosa; 3. Marsa.

Race 10: Dgħajjes B Tal-Pass (Category A) 1. Senglea (Rhys Fiteni/Lawrence Ciantar/ Clayton Darmanin/Donald Gilford, 5.16”); 2. Marsa; 3. Cospicua.

Category A standings
1. Senglea 62 points; 2. Cospicua 56; 3. Marsa 34; 4. Marsamxett 20; Birżebbuġa nil; Vittoriosa nil; Kalkara nil.

Category B standings
1. Kalkara 76 points; 2. Vittoriosa 52; 3. Senglea 24; 4. Cospicua 12; 5. Marsa 8; 6. Birżebbuġa nil. Note: Marsamxett Valletta did not take part.

Winners last 10 years
2001 Marsa; 2002 Senglea; 2003 Senglea; 2004 Senglea; 2005 Marsa; 2006 Marsamxett; 2007 Marsamxett; 2008 Senglea; 2009 Senglea; 2010 Senglea.