The third event in the Red Bull Triathlon Series for 2004 was held on Sunday, June 27, on the Salina-Bahar ic-Caghaq Coast Road.
Mark Zammit maintained his grip on the championship with an emphatic victory over national champion David Galea, while Marylynn Bezzina scored her first win of the season in the ladies category.
In sweltering heat and in the calm, picturesque bay of Salina, the triathletes set off for the 750m swim.
Zammit set the pace from the beginning, closely followed by Nicky Farrugia and Simon Zammit. The leader was out of the water in 11 minutes 43 seconds, opening an advantage of one minute three seconds at the transition area.
Bezzina finished her swim in 13 minutes 56 seconds, opening more than a minute on Angele Cremona and Danica Spiteri.
The experienced Galea could not match Zammit's prowess on the bike. The latter increased the lead by another eight seconds after cycling 20km, finishing this segment in 33 minutes 30 seconds.
Farrugia finished the cycle in second place in a time of 35 minutes and one second.
By the end of the bike segment, Bezzina had opened a comfortable lead over ex-Malta champion Spiteri. She cycled the distance in 38 minutes 45 seconds to Spiteri's 39 minutes 55 seconds. Cremona started the five-kilometre run in third place.
Enjoying a handsome lead, Zammit could afford to run below his par in the final 5km run. A handful of triathletes managed to beat Zammit's time of 20.48, with the best time registered by Michael Gellel in 20.01.
Galea's 20 minutes 12 seconds run only reduced the gap to just under two minutes from Zammit who won the race in one hour six minutes one second. Galea was second in one hour eight minutes four seconds and Gordon Camenzuli placed third in one hour 10 minutes 12 seconds.
Bezzina extended her lead by another minute over Spiteri, finishing the run in 24 minutes 18 seconds and the race in one hour 16 minutes 59 seconds.
Spiteri was second in one hour 19 minutes 56 seconds, with Cremona finishing third in one hour 24 minutes 26 seconds.
The fourth race of the series will be held on Sunday on the Salina-Bahar ic-Caghaq Coast Road. The race route will be closed for traffic between 7 a.m. and 8.45 a.m.