Spain has decided the K2 and C2 to go for the Olympic berths

After the first day of national trials in Spain to choose the paddlers who will fight for the olympic berths at the European Preolympic at Poznan (Poland), the K2 and the C2 are already decided. The Verducido Dam has seen closed races in a chilly rainy morning, but the contestants have given a true spectacle to the last metre of the course. In K2, the defending couple, Javier Hernanz and Diego Cosgaya, have set the best time, stopping the clock in 3'22" and avoiding that way a second race in case they have lost, so they have earned the right to be the Spanish contestants at Poznan. In second position arrived Víctor Rodríguez and Diego Piña (3'24"), who were a serious menace through the first three quartes of the race, head by head in the lead, but couldn't keep the winners pace over the las 200 metres. Third place went to Emilio Merchán and Pablo Baños (3'26").

Twenty minutes later it was the time for the C2, with five boats on the start line. It was a direct final, so the winner would earn the place for Poznan with no second leg possible.
Victory was claimed by David Fernández and José Luis Bouza (bronze medalist at Szeged 2011 over 5.000 metres), who set 3'48" at the finish line and beating in this order Campos/Sánchez, Ribadomar/Romero, López/Vega and Oliveira/Picallo, all of them under 4 minutes, showing the good level of the race.

You may check the official results at this link. 

Over the same course, tomorrow will be held the K1 trial, with Spanish young star Francisco Cubelos defending the place, but having tough rivals like it could be his training mate Íñigo Peña. After the K1 trial, the 1.000 metres Spanish Cup will take place all along the weekend. Low water has been reported over the first 400 metres in lanes 1 and 2, despite the rainy weather over the last week. Let's hope the races go on with no incidences.

Meanwhile, over Trasona course at Asturias also will be held the second preolympic trial over 200 metres out of the three programmed before the European Qualyfiers. Olympic champions Saúl Craviotto and Carlos Pérez, as well as the defending K1 holder Ekaitz Saies, are into the favourites.