Hannah Pace & Keith Galea are the 2015 Triathletes Of The Year

The Malta Triathlon Federation brought to a conclusion its 2015 Multisport Season, with an event to award to topmost athletes ranked in its annual Triathlete Of The Year point scheme. This scheme awards all athletes with points for their performances in all the multisport races sanctioned or organised by the Federation during the season. Points are allocated according to the ranking of each athlete's finishing position in each race, thus giving a huge emphasis on consistancy.

This year the multisport calendar in Malta consisted of 12 different events in all branches of multisport: triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and cross-triathlon. The final classification was rated on the best 9 points for each athlete, making it a harder-fought competition between the athletes.

In the Male Category, Keith Galea dominated the series by winning 9 out of 10 races, an garnering the maximum 26,000 points limit. Keith concluded the year with the triple crown of National Duathlon, Aquathlon and Triathlon Champion, and this was a record-breaking 7 time he won the Triathlete of the Year Award. The very consistent duo Graham Borg and Fabio Spiteri were second and thir respectively.

Hannah Pace topped a strong and steady season by claiming the honours by a string of successes and second-place finishes which saw here winning the title of Triathlete Of The Year for the first time ever. The other females on the podium where Michelle Vella Wood in second and Margaret Seguna in third.

The Malta Triathlon Federation partnered up with Go&Fun Green Energy Drink, Malta for this season to present the various awards. Apart from a token to all both male and females who ranked from 10th place upwards, Age Category awards were also presented and who were won as follows :

• Keith Galea : Triathlete Of The Year 2015
• Hannah Pace : Triathlete Of The Year 2015 and First Female Under 23
• Graham Borg : Second Male
• Michelle Vella Wood : Second Female
• Fabio Spiteri : Third Male and First Male Over 40
• Margaret Seguna : Third Female
• Steve Chetcuti : Fourth Male
• Nina Zammit : Fourth Female and First Female Under 20
• Neil Markham : Fifth Male and First Male Under 23
• Suzanne Farrugia : Fifth Female and First Female Over 50
• Kevin Muscat : Sixth Male
• Danica Bonello Spiteri : Sixth Female
• Shaun Galea : Seventh Male and First Male Under 20
• Felicienne Mercieca : Seventh Female
• Alixander Schembri : Eighth Male
• Marian Belsten : Eighth Female and First Female Over 60
• Niki Bilocca : Ninth Male
• Lara Buttigieg : Ninth Female
• Anatoly Gatt : Tenth Male
• Claudia Zammit : Tenth Female and First Female Over 40
• Raymond Borg : First Male Over 50

Life-achievement awards were also presented to Mr Oswald Spiteri, who has served as the Treasurer of Triathlon Malta since its foundation in 1986, to Mr Euchar Camilleri for his tremendous contribution tot the development and nurishing of Triathlon in Malta and to Mr Dermot Galea, who apart from being one of the most celebrated local triathletes himself, serves as National Coach and Coordinator of the Malta Youth Triathlon Academy - MYTA.

At the end of the event, Cyprian Dalli, President of the Malta Triathlon Federation thanked all those who contributed to a long and successful triathlon season in Malta. He said that it was a season to remember with a record-breaking 182 different athletes racing at least one sanctioned race locally. The local athletes are growing in numbers and in quality and their very positive results even in international races is proof of this. 'The MTF feels accomplished at the end of this season and is certain that 2016 will be a further step forward for our sport, our athletes and our vision', stated Dalli. He concluded by thanking all sponsors and supporters of the MTF, especially Go&Fun Green Energy Drink Malta who sustained the Triathlete of the Year Scheme through this season.
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The MTF will shortly be officially launching its 2016 Multisport Calendar of Competitions and will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 9 December. More information about Triathlon Malta can be obtained from www.triathlonmalta.org, from its facebook page and by calling 79037933.  

Photo by Angie Conti