Bonello wins US championship race in California

Over the past three weeks the name of Peter Bonello has again been featuring in the local sailing circles due to his announced participation in the forthcoming Malta-Sicily Windsurf Race - 20 Years After.

Yet, last week the Maltese windsurfer wedged the limelight of the sport scene in his new country of residence, America, when he won the US Windsurfing National Championship in the Mistral Prodigy Class Association.

A fleet of 90 sailors took part in the six-day championship organised by US Windsurfing, the national governing body for windsurfing in America, and held in northern California.

Sailing his first Prodigy event at the US Nationals, Bonello managed eight wins and three second places out of 13 races in what has been described as a superb performance.

"He is a southern California, not northern California native, but he managed to adapt so well to the notorious Crissy Field conditions," declared an official communication, which also referred to Bonello's Olympic Games participation.

It said: "Once again the Prodigy Class has been joined by an Olympic-level sailor.

"Peter Bonello, a ninth place in the 1984 Olympics, is now a first in Prodigy Class 2004 US Windsurfing National Championship."

Prodigy is a windsurfing one-design race board, manufactured by Mistral and introduced in 2001. In a short spell of time it has become the top selling sailboard in the US.

Bonello's achievement was a boost to September's Malta-Pozzallo Race.

"This is definitely a proud moment for Peter," remarked Wilfred Sultana, organiser of the Pozzallo Windsurf Race. "I am happy for him.

"In this scenario the Malta-Sicily Windsurf Race - 20 Years After is bound to generate more interest and enthusiasm."