Young and promising athlete Hannah Pace, representing Team Garmin, ended this year’s triathlon season with another win at the recently held Triathlon Sprint San Vito Lo Capo in Sicily.
Held in the picturesque San Vito Lo Capo on the western coast of Sicily, the race proved to be a popular one where over 200 participants, 27 of which were females took part. This record number of participants resulted in the race start being delayed.
The race, consisting of a 750m swim, a 20k cycle and a 5k run was a draft legal race which also saw separate starts for males and females. Rules also stipulated that women could only draft women, reflecting International Triathlon Union regulations for such races.
Starting five minutes after the male group and swimming in good water conditions, Pace encountered some problems when sighting and got caught in the midst of the male group, however Pace showed her prowess and was out, in third place, with the first group of females.
Pace’s transition to the cycling segment started with a slight mishap which meant that the gap between her and the first two females widened. Although a determined attempt to catchup with the other females resulted in Pace over taking the second placed cyclist, the gap between her and the first female cyclists was wide enough to see her cycle on her own without any drafting possibilities on what was a flat yet technical course.
Progressing onto the run segment, which was relatively flat though having a slight incline Pace broke into a strong run, which resulted in Pace overtaking the only contender for first place, Anita Pantaleoni, a triathlete which forms part of the Italian junior national team and who recently competed in the European Triathlon Union Junior European Cup. Pace’s run was too strong for Pantaleoni with Pace finishing the race in first place, and seventh overall, finishing with a comfortable lead over Pantaleoni.
“2014 has been a challenging yet positive season for me, where such positive results were very much in doubt at the beginning of the season” said Hannah Pace. “I am grateful for all the guidance and support that has been given to me from various angles and I am indebted to all those who provided me with such support – namely my coaches who have been instrumental in achieving this success.
Pace’s recent successes were the National Cycling Championships, the first ever National Cross Triathlon Championships, first place in the Triathlon Olimpico Citta’ di Palermo, second place in the National Open Water Swimming league and second place in the National Triathlon Championships.
A good performance was registered by triathlete Angele Cremona who also took part in the race.
Pace’s participation in the Triathlon Sprint San Vito Lo Capo was made possible through Garmin, represented in Malta by Medcomms Ltd.
Pace ittemm l-istagun tat-Triathlon b‘rebha go San Vito Lo Capo
L’atleta zghazugha u promettenti, Hannah Pace, li tirrappreżenta Team Garmin, temmet l-istaġun tat-Triathlon ta’ din is-sena b’rehba f’Triathlon Sprint San Vito Lo Capo fi Sqallija.
Miżmuma fil-bajja pittoreska ta’ San Vito Lo Capo fuq il-kosta tal-punent ta ‘Sqallija, it-tellieqa kienet popolari iktar minn prevvista, fejn aktar minn 200 parteċipant , 27 minnhom nisa, ħadu sehem . Dan in-numru rekord ta ‘parteċipanti irriżulta fit-tellieqa tibda iktar tard milli previst.
It-tellieqa, li ikkonsistiet f’ghawma ta’750m, 20k bir-rota u girja ta 5k kienet draft legal. It-tellieqa rat ukoll bidu separata għall -irġiel u nisa. Ir-regoli applikati kienu dawk tal-International Triathlon Union.
It-tellieqa tan-nisa bdiet ħames minuti wara l-rġiel. Ghalkemm il -kundizzjonijiet fl’ilma kienu tajba, Pace sabet xi problemi fil-lemħ u sfat maqbuda fil-grupp tal-irgiel, madakollu Pace irnexxila tohrog mill-ilma fit-tielet post mill-grupp tan-nisa.
Waqt it-tranżizzjoni lejn it-taqsima tac-ciklizmu Pace kella inċident żgħir li fisser li d-differenza bejnha u l-ewwel żewġ nisa twessat. Tentattiv determinat minghand Pace irrizulta fi tnaqqis f’dan id-distakk u spiccat il-korsa, kemm xejn teknika fit-tieni post.
Fit-taqsima tal-giri Pace irnexxilha teghleb lil- Anita Pantaleoni, atleta zaghzugha li tifforma parti mit-tim nazzjonali Taljan u li recentament hadet sehem fil -Junior European Triathlon Championships. Hawnhekk Pace wriet il-kapacita taghha fejn spiccat b’distakk sostanjzali fuq Pantaleoni biex tispicca l-ewwel fil-kategorija tan-nisa u fis-sebgha post fil-klassifika totali.
“2014 kien staġun li beda bi sfida iebsa, fejn riżultati pożittivi kienu ferm dubjużi fil-bidu tal-istaġun.” qalet Hannah Pace “Grata hafna għall appoġġ u ghajnuna li ingħatajt minn angoli diversi, spejcalment mill-coaches tiegħi li kienu strumentali fil-kisba ta dan is-suċċess”.
Ta min jghid li Pace kisbet it-titlu fil- Kampjonati Nazzjonali Ċikliżmu, il-Kampjonati tal-Cross Triathlon Nazzjonali, l-ewwel post fil- Triathlon Olimpico Citta di Palermo, it-tieni post fil-Kampjonati Nazzjonali Open Water Swimming u t-tieni post fil- Kampjonati Nazzjonali tat- Triathlon.
Prestazzjoni tajba ġiet irreġistrata ukoll mill-atleta Angele Cremona li ħadet sehem ukoll f’din it-tellieqa .
Il-parteċipazzjoni ta’Pace fit-Triathlon Sprint San Vito Lo Capo kien possibbli permezz ta’ Garmin, irrappreżentat f’Malta minn Medcomms Ltd.
