Dermot Galea returns and claims victory

The feeling of déjà vu was very much evident last Sunday at Salina Bay as two former triathlon champions crossed swords after an absence of two years. The result was thrilling.

The scene was the penultimate race of the Red Bull Series organised by Bir-kirkara St Joseph Sports Club as part of the national triathlon calendar.

Dermot Galea, after spending two seasons in cycling, winning the national championship in the process, returned to the sport he has dominated for so long. David Galea, who had also made a comeback a few weeks earlier, was determined to take the top spot in the absence of runaway series leader Mark Zammit.

Dermot Galea made his intentions clear from the very start, setting a fast pace in the swim. He was closely followed by his brother Keith, who was also making a return to triathlon. Their Birkirkara team-mate Gordon Camenzuli was third, starting his 20K bike segment after 12 minutes 57 seconds.

Dermot set out on the bike race after swimming the 750 metres in 12 minutes 29 seconds, just four seconds in front of Keith.

The real battle started in the bike segment. David Galea powered himself into third place with the best cycle time of the day in 30 minutes 34 seconds.

The Galea brothers started the 5K run in the top two places but David Galea kept up the pressure relentlessly during the run, catching Keith, and for the second time in the race registered a better time than the leader.

Dermot Galea finished the run in 18 minutes 29 seconds, while David Galea covered the distance in 18 minutes 17 seconds. At the end, the scene was reminiscent of many a finish in the past years under the large Red Bull arch.

Dermot Galea's victory ritual heralded a great comeback for him after racing for one hour, one minute, 49 seconds, just 26 seconds slower than the best time recorded this season by Mark Zammit.

Second-placed David Galea improved his time by one minute, 28 seconds over his first race, finishing in one hour, two minutes 44 seconds. Keith Galea also managed to hold off the challenge of Michael Gellel for third place. He finished in one hour, 3 minutes, 13 seconds.

The early pace-setters of this year's series, Gellel and Camenzuli were relegated to fourth and fifth place respectively.

Both triathletes, however, are in the top two places in the overall classification.

With the top six expected to reach their peak condition as the season comes to a close, the final race of the Red Bull Series should be a tight affair and a prelude to a great championship finale in the first weekend of October.

Debbie Caruana Dingli was uncontested in the women's race. She covered the distance in one hour, 27 minutes, 21 seconds. She is virtually this year's overall series winner, an honour she deserves for her dedication and consistency in the sport.

The fifth and final race of the series will be on September 18 at 7.30 a.m. on the Salina/Bahar ic-Caghaq Coast Road.

Birkirkara SJ Sports Club was assisted in the organisation by the Malta Triathlon Association, Red Bull GmbH, St James Hospital Ambulance Team, Burmarrad Commercials, the District Police and the Naxxar Local Council.