Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/985406
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 MAY 2018 22 SPORTS ATHLETICS More boats for the Sette Giugno Cruise Jorrit Van der Raadt and Lisa Marie Bezzina win Fastest5 DUTCH athlete Jorrit Van der Raadt won this year's edition of Fastst5, a 5km race organised by Raptorz Running Club around the roads of Birkirkara and St. Venera, with a very fast and flat route that meant a Personal Best for many established and occa- sional runners. Indeed, five ath- letes completed the race in less than 16 minutes. Van der Raadt won the race in 15 min 37 seconds, in a thrilling finish, just pipping Luke Mi- callef (Pembroke Athleta) by less than a second. Andrew Grech (Mellieħa AC) finished third, merely three seconds later. Lisa Marie Bezzina (Pembroke A.) confirmed her superiority in the female category (17.44), with Maria Gerada (As Liber- tas) and Denise Borda (Mellieħa AC) finishing second and third respectively. Other awards in the Fastest5 race, which took place on Sun- day morning, attracting a record of more than 300 partecipants, were: Carina Suda (F-U23) Joanna Camilleri (F 35-39) Caroline Ciappara (F 40-44), Carmen Vella (F 45-49), Mary Grace Demicoli (F 50-54). Dillon Cassar (M - U23) Mario Grech (M 35-39) Jason Mizzi (M 40-44), Matthew Cutajar (M 45-49), Michael Camilleri (M 55-59) and Wal- ly Ghiller (M 60-64). Mellieħa AC won the team event for both male and female categories. The successful organisation of this race was also thanks to the support from main sponsors Teamsport, Project Technik, Jesmond Mizzi Financial Servic- es, Garmin Malta and Diadora. Raptorz RC would also like to thank the Police Coprs and Lo- cal Guardians for guaranteeing road safety and security, Alpha Medical Ambulance Service as well as Zebbug Scout Group for providing marshalls for this race. SAILING CONTINENTAL Tyres are again title sponsors of the Sette Giugno Cruise to Pozzallo organ- ised by the Malta Cruising Club. In its first edition (2013) there were nine participants which last year reached 19. Today, for its sixth edition, the number of par- ticipants have so far reached 25... with a sailing contingent of over 90 persons. The sponsorship was confirmed by Dott. Alessandro De Mar- tino, Managing Director/General Market Manager, Continental Italia S.p.A., while on a recent vis- it to Malta. "Continental is proud to sponsor the Sette Giugno Poz- zallo Cruise again. Our corporate values of Trust, For One Another, Passion for Success and Freedom to Act seem very fitting to this sports event." remarked Dott. De Martino when he met members of the organising Committee. The now traditional approach to the start of the 93Km Cruise will be again retained. The or- ganisers are having each boat leaving Malta and Gozo at its cruising speed. This means that if a boat cruises at six and a half knots, it will leave a 6:30 am, a boat that cruises at 7 knots leaves at 7:00am and so forth. Such a procedure should have partici- pating boats within sight of each other for most of the trip where all boats should arrive at the Sicil- ian end between two and three in the afternoon or thereabouts. This year there will be a number of boat members of the Gozo Cruise & Crews Club who will be taking part in the Pozzallo event. This year's 'Cruise' is from Thursday 7th till Sunday 10th. Besides the exquisite gastronom- ic virtues of the trip, appoint- ments on this year's programme include a visit to Catania and a guided tour of the city, as well as the traditional 'Sail along the Pozzallo coast and a run up to the Isola dei Porri' in company of other boats from Lega Navale Sezione di Pozzallo. Here each yacht will host two young stu- dents from the nautical school Istituto di Istruzione Superiore "Giorgio La Pira" - Pozzallo. Such initiative will not only prove ex- citing to the new young sailors but also to members of their families and friends who will be following this sail from the shore. Mass on Saturday evening is held at the Clubhouse of the Lega Navale Sezione di Pozzallo on the marina where the Maltese yachts will be berthed. For the first time the Organisers will be publishing a commemora- tive pamphlet on the occasion of the Sette Giugno Cruise which also includes a welcome message from Dott. Roberto Ammatuna, Mayor of Pozzallo. Once again the Pozzallo section of the Lega Navale are extending their enthusiastic collaboration to the 50 nautical miles Cruise being held under the Patronage of the Commune of Pozzallo. Club Commodore Wilfred Sultana presenting Dott Alessandro de Martino a burgee of the Club on their recent meeting. (Photo: Johann J. Cuschieri)