Twelve countries competed at the Panamerican Sprint Championships in Puerto Rico

Kevin and Samuel Figueroa (Puerto Rico). Photo: Federación Portorriqueña

This last weekend it was held in Ponce (Puerto Rico) the Panamerican Sprint Championships, gathering paddlers from twelve countries of  the new continent. The dates of the championship, somewhat far in time from the peaks of the season, made them good testing ground for young paddlers, which mixed with others well experienced in international competitions.

Without any doubt, the star of the championships in advance was the Ecuadorian César de Cesare, who won gold in his favorite event, the K1 200, leaving the silver to Edson Silva (Brazil), which nevertheless managed to take revenge on K2, where pairing with Hans Mallman took gold and left silver to de Cesare and Yautung Cueva. The bronze went to Mexico through Carlos Montalvo in K1 and Canadians Austin Denman and Jacob Sosna claimed it in K2 in very tight arrivals.

In women, victory in the K1 5,000 for Canada by Tamlyn Bohm, who represented her country in the last Marathon Worlds in Denmark. In Women Canoe disciplines Canada also starred, although somewhat overshadowed by Chile , which seems to have a paddler, Nancy Millán, able to stand up against Taylor Potts and Maria Halavrezos. Potts took the C1 200 while Millán won gold in 500, with Halavrezos in silver. Millán won another two golds in the C2 with Mary Mailliard, leaving Canadians with silver in both distances. It is certainly expected the move to senior age group of Anggie Avegno (Ecuador), who at 17 years already knows what it is to get a medal in Senior World Cup (Racice 2013). Needless to say that in this Panmericans she won all the junior races .

In Kayak, also counted their appearances with victories the Mexicans Karina Alanis and Maricela Montemayor. The U23 world medalists had no rivals or K2 or K4, while Alanis won the K1 500. Just the K1 200 scaped from their hands and went to Andreanne Langlois (Canada).

In the Olympic distance of 1000 meters men, successful comeback of former world champion José Cristobal Quirino (Mexico), who won gold with a five second difference over Jhonnathan Tafra (Chile). Quirino repeated gold in the C2 with Roberto Morales, while Angus Mortimer (CAN ) claimed gold in K1 and Osvaldo Labrada and Carlos Montalvo (MEX) in K2 .

Now, the final medal standings below here. And in this link you can check all the results.