After Saturday’s rainy weather with cold winds and rough seas, the sun came out on Sunday but the cold winds and rough seas persisted. Sunday was the day when the 2011 Malta Marathon took place.
As usual, the finishing post was set at the Ferries in Sliema, a sheltered area within Marsamxett Bay. Here only a promenade separates the road from the sea – the road is almost at sea level and has gutters so that rain water can flow into the bay . Although tide does not exist in the Mediterranean, the sea level fluctuates and this together with the swell caused the sea to rise and overpour onto the street until the water retreats on the ebbing of the water.
Athletes taking part in the Marathon had two options when reaching this area, either to take the shorter route along the curve of the road or take a slightly longer route along the outer curve of the road. The latter was dry but the former wet with the incoming sea. Some athletes preferred dry land, others, like the one in the picture took the shortest at their expense.
