Birgu, Marsa and Siġġiewi – will be taking part in this year’s Jum il-Ħelsien Regatta, which will take place on Monday 31st March at the Grand Harbour. The first race will begin at 1:00pm.
Birgu starts this year’s regatta as one of the favourites to win the Shield, especially after winning the Regatta tal-Vitorja last September. The club will race with the same strong teams, with one small change – Sven Refalo has now joined Kieran Żammit in the Kajjikk. All other crews remain the same.
Birgu’s Category A rowers are Owen Żammit, Antoine Brignone, Wayne Xuereb and Sven Refalo in Tal-Midalji, Rhys Fiteni and Kieran Żammit in Frejgatini, Clyde Cutajar and Clayton Darmanin in Ta’ bi Tnejn, Kieran Żammit and Sven Refalo in Kajjikki, and Antoine Brignone, Clyde Cutajar, Clayton Darmanin and Sven Refalo in Ta’ b’Erbgħa. In Category B, Birgu will race in three events. The crews are Clifford Buġeja and Yann Parascandolo in Ta’ bi Tnejn, Lawson Cassar and Jayden Fisher in Kajjikki, and Lawson Cassar and Dion Caruana in Frejgatini, with Ellah Azzopardi as coxswain.
There is a complete change in Birgu’s women’s category. As their previous rowers have moved to another club, Birgu will now be represented by two young rowers from their own system – Faith Scerri and Chazzelle Hammet – with Blake Muscat as coxswain.
Birgu has seen great progress in recent years, not only in results, but also in the number of young athletes training regularly and the activity at the club all year round. In the coming weeks, the club will celebrate the opening of its new clubhouse, with the top floor already completed and final touches now underway.
The Siġġiewi Rowing Club will once again take part in this traditional event, with rowers competing in different categories. This year, the club is introducing several new initiatives. For the first time in the club’s history, Siġġiewi will compete in the women’s race at the National Regatta. The women’s team is made up of Brianna Farrugia and Chloe Rapinett, with Nina Joy Fava as coxswain. These same rowers will also compete in the Frejgatini race in Category A. Another new feature is the Frejgatini race in Category B, where a male and female will row together in the same boat. This mixed team is made up of Lawrence Ciantar and Irene Busuttil.
Siġġiewi continues to promote inclusion in rowing by involving anyone interested in the sport. In the Ta’ b’Erbgħa race in Category A, athlete Kurt Farrugia, who has a disability, will take part. He has competed in the Regatta before, but this year returns with more energy after recovering from two operations in recent months.
The full list of Siġġiewi’s Category B crews includes Ryan Lee Zammit and Wayne Cassar in Ta’ bi Tnejn, Lawrence Ciantar and Irene Busuttil in Frejgatini with Lee Zammit as coxswain, and Tiesto Caruana, Ryan Lee Zammit, Wayne Cassar and Leon Vella in Ta’ b’Erbgħa. For Category A, the crews are Brianna Farrugia and Chloe Rapinett in Frejgatini with Nina Joy Fava as coxswain, Joseph Grima and Kevin Attard in Ta’ bi Tnejn, and Kurt Farrugia, Joseph Grima, Nathan Grech and Eduardo Saraiva de Oliveira in Ta’ b’Erbgħa.
Although Siġġiewi’s rowing club was only founded a few years ago, it has already launched many sea-sport projects. Apart from traditional regattas, the club also supports Olympic and Paralympic rowing. The goal is to help members stay active and benefit from the health advantages of the sport. The club has also been a pioneer in supporting athletes with disabilities.
Marsa Rowing Club will compete in all races during this year’s Jum il-Ħelsien Regatta. The aim is to challenge for top places and put pressure on the favourite teams. Marsa has confirmed many of the same rowers from recent years, with one new addition – Christian Camilleri, who will row in the Kajjikk Category A.
Marsa’s Category A crews are Dirk Attard, Emerson Farrugia, Cleaven Falzon and Yannick Pace in Tal-Midalji, Brolin Genovese and Gilmour Zammit in Frejgatini, Juan Farrugia and Cleaven Falzon in Ta’ bi Tnejn, Christian Camilleri and Ericsen Lia in Kajjikki, and Dirk Attard, Redeemer Zammit, Adrian Schembri and Damien Attard in Ta’ b’Erbgħa. In Category B, the crews include Mark Schembri and Marlon Cutajar in Ta’ bi Tnejn, Ian Carabott and Lydon Pulis in Kajjikki, Coultan Buhagiar, Glenn Bonello, Lydon Pulis and Clyde Aquilina in Tal-Midalji, Kerstin Brown and Ian Carabott in Frejgatini, and Jonathan Piscopo, Marlon Cutajar, Mark Schembri and Clyde Aquilina in Ta’ b’Erbgħa. Marsa will also compete in the women’s Frejgatini race with Brooke Stivala and Shazel Gusman, and Thais Gatt Borg as coxswain.
This year’s Jum il-Ħelsien Regatta will once again bring strong competition, exciting races and a celebration of Malta’s rowing tradition.
