Pontevedra wants to bid for 2020 Marathon Worlds

Since yesterday, through a statement letter released by the Galician Canoe Federation, Pontevedra has given its approval to become candidate city to host the Canoe Marathon World Championships in 2020.

The Galician city, which this summer will host the European Championships, wants this way to strengthen its presence on the international map through canoeing, sport to which has already been associated for decades through race events and all the paddlers who have been born and raised there.

In the final vote, which will take place during 2016 by the ICF, Pontevedra will face the bids of the towns of Hazelwinkel (Belgium) and Bærum (Norway), the latter home to the prestigious Oslo Kajakklub, located by the fjord in the municipality adjacent to the Norwegian capital.

If so, Pontevedra could join the long list of venues that have already organised these championships and would follow the already confirmed Brandenburg (GER, 2016), Pietermaritzburg (RSA, 2017), Vila Verde (POR, 2018) and Shaoxing (CHN, 2019).

Pontevedra from the air, crossed by river Lérez

Great participation at the A Lanzada Ocean Race in Spain

Esteban Medina, main favorite, on the start line. Photo: Club de Mar Ría de Aldán

It was held last Saturday on the waters of the Rias Baixas (Galicia, Spain) the 2nd edition of the surfski race A Lanzada Ocean Race, strating from the beach of the same name and with a downwind format. The day, contrary to what might be expected at this time of year was sunny with not much wind, which made the competition go on very calm water, to the joy of some and despair of others, as often happens on these occasions.

Participation, in the same way, had nothing to detract from many of the races held at the height of the season, with 60 paddlers ...

Eurochallenge Surfski: first race to be followed live by GPS in Spain

A new small step will happen tomorrow in following races live in Elite Kayak's homeland, Spain. It is well known that, unless a helicopter or good bunch of motorboats is taken, it is very difficult to broadcast a race in open sea. But technology comes to the rescue with a very valid method to fill the gap left by the lack of images. Starting tomorrow, the Eurochallenge of Surfski held in Villajoyosa (Alicante, Spain) can be followed live through the movements of each paddler on their onboard GPS. If it work properly, hopefully we can enjoy some great days of surfski. In the frame below should be visible the coloured lines live. About the schedule, we must be vigilant, because the races are subject to wait for the best possible weather conditions for a downwind, which can happen at any time over the weekend.

On the other hand, the race is Spanish National trial to set the team to wear the ESP colors at the World Champs to be held in October in Tahiti (French Polynesia). Along with the best national paddlers, they will be top stars at the starting line like the current world champion Sean Rice (RSA).

Francisco Cubelos gives no chance and gets the spot in K1 1000 to represent Spain for the fifth year in a row

The young paddler from Talavera has been reconfirmed as the great Spanish asset in the star race of sprint canoeing after winning again this morning the national selective trial to set up the teams that will represent Spain in European and World Championships throughout the year. On a rainy and windy day, Cubelos beated Íñigo Peña by just 14 hundredths of a second. The Basque missed another chance to win a trial and avoid another victory (and they already five years in a row over this distance) of the small brother of the Cubelos' family. The surprise was the pull out to Final B of two of the paddlers of the current national K4, Rodrigo Germade and Oscar Carrera, which compromises the crew boats planning for this season.

One of the highlights was the succesful comeback to the top of Teresa Portela, winner in the K1 500 on her return to competition after her maternity, and the great victory in the C1 1000 by André Oliveira, who took no more and no less than 7 seconds on David Cal and more than 9 seconds on the rest of paddlers. On the other hand, Roi Rodríguez is confirmed as a rising star. The young paddler from Kayak Tudense had not enough being third in the K1 1000, ahead of Javier Hernanz (4th), but in the afternoon won with authority in the K1 500 beating Ekaitz Saies and Paco Cubelos.

You can see all the results of the day at this link.

Pérez-Llorens and Llamedo, winners of the Asturias Championship of Cross-Canoe

The winners on their first portage. Photo: Cope Ribadesella

This last weekend was finally held at Ribadesella the Asturias Championship of Cross-Canoe, which was postponed last February due to a storm. Weather was not actually good again at this time, but at least the race could take place normally.

After the usual start running from the far end of the beach, the first to hit the water on their kayaks were eventually those who would claim victory, in this case Luis Amado Pérez and Miguel Llorens (SCD Ribadesella) in K2 and Emilio Llamedo (Los Rápidos - Jayre Aventura) in K1, who together led both laps to the course with two portages included again on the beach.

Spanish Winter Championships (II): Youngsters set the bar high

In the younger categories, we could see lively and very colorful races in the Spanish Winter Championships. Not only because of the number of paddlers, but the times achieved in less than favorable wind conditions, make us optimistic about the development not only of the season, but the next few years regarding the junior national teams, where the last year we already got a few world and European medals.

Pelayo Roza, Junior K1 champion. Photo: E. Durán

The Junior Men K1 was a good example, with special involvement of the sprint national team members. The trial over 2,000 meters was won by Pedro Vázquez (Los Rápidos - Jayre Aventura) with 8:14, a time that due to the strong headwind could only be beated by 11 senior paddlers. Pelayo Roza (SCD Ribadesella) took second place, followed by Ramón Lecumberri (Náutico Sevilla , first U17). The same podium would be given the next day at the end of the 5,000 final, but with the exchange of the first two positions, because after a great comeback in the sprint, the gold went to Pelayo Roza.

Spanish Winter Championships: Javier Hernanz claims back the title while Eva Barrios and Antonio Campos get second gold in a row

Hernanz, Germade and Peña (left to right). Photo: E.P. Aranjuez

This is the first post of the few I will dedicate to the Spanish Winter Championship over 5,000 meters, held again in a splendid sunny Seville and marking the first milestone of an intense 2014 season just started.

After a tough 2,000m qualifying on Saturday, due to strong headwind and that was won again by Francisco Cubelos in the K1 Senior Men (4th consecutive year that Cubelos claims victory over this distance), the 70 fastest paddlers had an appointment in Sunday's final, which was expected, as usual, hotly contested.

The start had its particular role in this race. After forming two large spearheads, one on the left after Rodrigo Germade and one in the center led first by Carlos Perez Rial and later by one of the components of Kayak Tudense (which seemed Roi Rodríguez), it came the inevitable moment when paddlers begin to look to either side and the two spearheads come together and begin the fight for the best washes. After the usual sound of voices and clash of blades, one of the paddlers ended up in the water. Once he managed to get on the boat again, helped by the Red Cross zodiac (which actually made him tarrible waves after that) we all thought that he could be Paco Cubelos.

Javier Hernanz claims his Regional Winter Championship in Asturias (Spain)

Javier López (left) and Javier Hernanz (right). Photo: Anselmo Bernal

Although we have to wait to Seville to see a new duel Llamedo - Hernanz, we could assist to a nice spectacle at the always colourful Asturias Winter Championship, held last Sunday at Trasona Dam. It somewhat reduced version of the championship, as bad weather forecast made the organization cancel all the races scheduled on Saturday, including all the U14 categories, Masters races and the 2,000 meters qualifiers for U16, juniors, U23 and seniors.

Kayak Tudense and Breogán O Grove, clubs taking the main titles at Galicia regional Winter Championships

Left to right: Millán, Rodríguez, Piña and Alonso. Image: Aurora Santomé

It was held in the dam of Verducido (Galicia) the Galician Winter Championship. As usual , great participation in all categories in a cool, windy day, which caused a little problem at the starts, especially the K1 Senior Men, as explained below.

As in all the championships being held these days prior to national Spanish Winter Championships in Seville , there were many races for all the categories throughout Saturday, beginning at U12 and preceding the main categories.

Emilio Llamedo starts the 2014 season in victory

Llamedo leading the final sprint. Photo: Paco (Club de Mar de Avilés)

Current Spanish Winter Champion, Emilio "Milin" Llamedo, seems to go on the correct way to renew his title next month in Seville 2014 after his victory last Sunday in the Miguel Ángel Pérez Memorial race, held in Trasona (Asturias) under the organization of Club Náutico Ensidesa. It was on this occasion the 25th anniversary of a race that has always been the unofficial kick out of Asturian season and has already become the second event in number of participants in the region after the Sella Descent.

According to those present, wonderful spring day in the Asturian dam. The big news apart from winners and the results themselves, were the presence of more than 500 paddlers on the water, which speaks of good canoeing health in Asturias apart from the current pressing economic problems. It is gratifying to see that, despite the difficulties, the courage and the will always remain present to jump onto the water .

Over a distance of 4,500 meters (3,000 for women, canoes and children) were competed the different races, with different batches for the U14, after which were gradually

David Rodríguez Dorado, Carolina Massagues and Álvaro Rodríguez Rica, Regional Winter Champions in Madrid (Spain)

Photo: Escuela Piragüismo Aranjuez

On a cool but sunny morning in Aranjuez, the river Tajo was the scenario of the Winter Regional Championships of Madrid, held again after not being competed 2013. Three hours of competitions made enjoy the spectators who came to the facilities of the Aranjuez Canoeing School, with five different batches for the different categories.

It started with the U16 Men K1, always one of the most crowded categories. Nice fight in the lead between Víctor Pardo (Cuenca), Martín Erpén (Aranjuez) and Raúl de la Peña (Alberche Kayak) after getting rid at mid-race of the foruth paddler in the group, Carlos Alonso (Aranjuez). Finally, very tight sprint in which the order was Pardo, Erpén and de la Peña, thus resulting Martín Erpén regional champion, as Victor Pardo club belongs to Castilla-La Mancha region (tehy competed with special invitation).

Héctor Cubelos beats his younger brother Francisco Cubelos at the Regional Winter Championship

Héctor Cubelos, older brother of the London Olympic finalist Francisco Cubelos (K1 1,000) and Isabel López were the absolute winners of the regional championship of Castilla-La Mancha (Central Spain), held last Sunday at Las Herencias, village very close to Cubelos brothers Hometown, Talavera de la Reina (Toledo).

Left to right: Héctor Cubelos, Francisco Cubelos and David R. Dorado. Photo: Escuela Piragüismo Aranjuez

On a sunny day , but with a strong flooded river Tajo, which had its role in the competition, the audience could enjoy a good day of racing, with the participation of about 130 paddlers of all categories, including the Olympic Francisco "Paco" Cubelos in his last test before the Spanish Championships to be held in Seville in four weeks. The start, due to river conditions and let's say "lack of coordination" between the referee and the paddlers, was somehow difficult and by the time it was done, 80% of the competitors had a two minutes penalty on their race time. Most of junior, U23, but all of Seniors, so actually it didn't have influence in this category.

The race was programmed over 5,000 metres, but river conditions made shorten it to barely 4,000. It was led from start to finish by the younger of Cubelos brothers, Francisco, who took with him about 7 paddlers in a big front bunch, including his brother Héctor, David Rodríguez Dorado, Alfonso Lucas, Enrique Peces and Benjamin Ramírez, among others.

Elite Kayak's 2014 goal: The Spanish panorama

From this season, we will translate into English every post we make in the original Spanish web. You could say that many of them are from very small competitions around Spain and maybe they don't have a real interest for a global audience. But let's think it the other way around: we will try to do what we would like to find sometimes in different scenarios from our daily perspective of canoeing. What's going on in Germany? Difficult to know if you cannot read German. Even though, digging in German newspapers among general news is not fun (it's not anywhere else, I guess). South Africa is for me an example of information about canoeing, through pages like Canoeing SA, Mocke Paddling, Surfski.info and many others I wouldn't like to forget here (sorry). We can get also lots of news from Australia and New Zealand (Sportscene has got a lot to do with that, thanks so much to them and their visionary project). Denmark focuses a lot also in communication, it's always a pleasure being awared about their competitions. Or places like France, Italy or Great Britain are easier due to specific magazines, as well as we are lucky to be able to read those languages.

Anyway, we would like then to be the Spanish information spot for foreigners. Maybe we are thinking too big? For sure, just two people (sometimes barely one) to gather daily information only allow us to write about Sprint, Marathon, rarely Slalom and almost never about other disciplines. But let's see how it works. Once this is established, the true merit comes from paddlers doing their best every single day on their kayaks and canoes, representing Spain abroad or just entering the finish line in a local race. Then it will be your choice to follow their careers, rewrite about them in your pages or social media, etc... But at least our window open to the world will have a meaning if you just read it once in a while.

Along with this aim, we will keep posting about the big international events, mixed with the Spanish news.

Thanks so much for your attention and let's hope to meet often back here again, dear foreign reader. See you on the water!!

Gonzalo Melero

Sella Descent: Bouzán and Fiuza impose again their law in 2013 and Busto adds another title to his legend

Walter Bouzán and Álvaro F. Fiuza Sella won for the fourth consecutive time in the year of their announced retirement as K2. Along with the new victory of Manuel Busto in K1, it seems that future generations will still have to wait for their time to pass over the great figures of this river, with other great veterans like Rafael Carril, Julio Martínez and Emilio Merchán getting on the podium in both disciplines (and no sign of wanting to get off of it).

Photo: Fotoyos

 
Following the protocol of the opening ceremony, this time with speech by Angela Pumariega, sailing Olympic champion in London 2012, and the always exciting song Asturias Patria Querida in the voices of the entire audience, Walter and Fiuza made a pristine start taking an excellent position at the front, next to the boat of Kiko Vega and Luis Amado Pérez. However, it soon became clear that Walter and Fiuza didn't want to miss the opportunity they had after having got a few precious meters over other favorites like Merchán/Alonso, Martínez/Becerro or Llamedo/Ramalho, who were forced to start a nig comeback in the first kilometers after a capsize at the start.

Spanish Marathon trials decided the team to compete at the Europeans in Portugal

David Rodriguez Dorado and Jorge Alonso will compete along with Emilio Merchán and Iván Alonso in the K2 Spanish Senior team for the European Marathon Championships to be held in Portugal in the first week of June. Meanwhile, Emilio Merchán will also join his K2 partner Iván Alonso in the K1.

After the selective trials held this weekend in Zamora, due to cancellation of Spanish Cup last April, which had toe served as a selection test, some of the best Spanish marathon paddlers competed for the remaining sopots in the team. Remember that the world champions of the past 2012 in Rome and the square had acquired the spot in property, so Iván Alonso, both in K1 and K2 with Merchán, Eva Barrios in the Women Senior K1 (due to her change of category this year), Antonio Campos in Senior C1 and the C2 couple Graña-Ferro left just one spot in play at these trials.

In the K1 race, 5 contestants which formed a compact group: Emilio Merchán, Xabier Ruiz de Aretxabaleta, David R. Dorado and Borja Estomba did the full marathon together, while Vicente Tortajada could not complete it. The victory went to Merchán in a close sprint against Aretxabaleta, who was again just one second away from the national team, as it happened two weeks ago in the 5,000 meters. A true pity for the brave paddler from San Sebastián, who surely will keep on trying. Just a few seconds behind, David R. Dorado got the third place over Borja Estomba.

New values Cooper, Arévalo and Toro start to claim a main role at Spanish Sprint trials

Marcus Cooper. Photo: Fotoyos

After the dispute last weekend of national trials and Spanish Cup over 200 and 500 metres, teams that will represent us in the European and World Championships this year are taking shape.

Although we can not speak of being many surprises, it is true that we are gradually witnessing a generational change which is always healthy and invigorating, ensuring a continuity that, well managed, should consolidate our position on the international podiums.

In the K1 200 trial, thrilling duel between Saúl Craviotto and Carlos Arévalo. The latter began with a good start winning the first leg out of three, but the current Olympic medalist reacted forcing the tie in a photo finish second leg. In the third and final leg, and with only Arévalo and Craviotto on the venue, Craviotto won by inches, preserving the spot for the national team in this discipline.

South Africans rule at the Eurochallenge

Left to right: Sean Rice, Dawid Mocke and Jasper Mocke

This past weekend was held at Villajoyosa (Spain) the Eurochallenge 2013 of surfski. Crowded field, but it was missed some more foreign participation, which in previous years had been abundant. Anyway, that foreign participation was of very high quality, as evidenced by the podium conquered by South African stars, all of them from Fish Hoek, Sean Rice, Dawid Mocke and Jasper Mocke.

That was the order in both races, the downwind North course on Saturday, of the two prepared depending on weather conditions. 20 kilometer run in line along the coast heading Southwest and finishing in Villajoyosa. And the classical race on Sunday.

Sean Rice, recent winner of the South African trials, both in 1,000 meters and surfski, stood alone doing much of the race at the downwind. As recognized after by Dawid Mocke, trying to follow him was a ticket to get sore muscles. Rice got a three minutes advantage over Dawid Mocke and five over Jasper. Walter Bouzán came in fourth place very closed to Jasper Mocke and heading the European field, where the Dutchman Joep van Bakel was fifth and Daniel Sanchez Viloria, who arrived as second Spanish, added himself to Walter in the list of our representatives in the Surfski World Championships to be held this coming July in Portugal.

Spanish Marathon Cup cancelled

Very windy conditions have made this last weekend the Spanish Marathon Cup to be cancelled. The races, which had to be competed all along Saturday and Sunday at the lake of As Pontes (Galicia), were already in danger when during Friday a very strong North wind started to blow and predictions were not good at all for the weekend. On Saturday morning, weather was rainy and very cold (about 2ºC at 9:00), but wind seemed fair enough to start with the Masters races, scheduled for 9:30. The course was shortened almost half kilometre per lap to avoid some dangerous places if wind started to blow again. An it did, at half race wind was coming strong again and waves started to rise up, making some parts of the circuit actually suitable for surfskis, most of all the side of the finish line and portage.

K1s waiting for the decision of Spanish Federation and organizers on Saturday morning

With the senior races scheduled for 11:30, everybody could see them having a bad time when trying to warm up, with 15 knots wind and some heavy rain which suddenly became hail.

In a quick team meeting, the Spanish Federation decided to cancel the qualification trial for the European Championships, but the race could maybe be postponed to the afternoon so the Cup could be competed. But just half an hour later, the K1 and C1 races were definitely cancelled as predictions were bad enough for the whole day. On Sunday morning K2 and C2 races would make a try at 9 AM. But Sunday morning showed the same face as Saturday and Spanish Cup was definitely cancelled.

Now, a new National Team selection trial must be scheduled, probably next weekend, to be able to make the team going to the European Championships in Portugal in early June.

Cubelos keeps being the representative of Spain at the K1 1,000 by winning Spanish Cup

Cubelos, Hernanz and Llamedo during the A final. Picture: La Voz de Galicia

After 1,000m Spanish Cup, held this weekend at the dam of Verducido (Galicia), Francisco Cubelos has managed to retain his titularity in the K1 1,000 to represent Spain in the three most important international championships to be held in 2013: European Championships at Montemor-o-Velho (POR), the World Championships at Duisburg (GER) and the Mediterranean Games at Mersin (TUR).

On a very headwindy field, the races were very tough. Imagine that the winning time was 4'04'', when Cubelos himself won on the same venue the pre-Olympic selective for Poznan 2012 in 3'31''. Maybe that environment is what made possible some surprises (although some are less so), as the bronze medal of Emilio Llamedo, who managed to sneak into the podium beating some of the best specialists in the country, like Diego Cosgaya who was finally fourth. Llamedo proved to be in great shape after winning the 5,000 in Seville. This time he was surpassed by the two main favorites Cubelos and Hernanz. This last one kept being a safe bet in his rendez-vous with the podium over 1,000 (he also took silver in the K2 with his new teammate Borja Prieto), but recognized afterwards being a bit disappointed taking so many silvers in the last competitions.

Charles Evans: forgotten biography of a late ‘60s Marathon paddler (II): Sella Descent video 1968

If you remember our quest  about Dr. Charles Evans (in this article by Nick Harding in Sportscene), slowly we are finding new clues and documents about his pass through Spain. Yesterday, thanks to Juan Manuel Feliz, winner in K2 of the Sella Descent in 1968, we got this old piece of the official news that every week were broadcasted in cinemas around Spain by Franco's dictatorship. In it, after minute 7:00, we can see in colour images a report on the Sella Descent, where Feliz & Gutiérrez win the K2 and Dr. Charles Evans (#57) wins in K1. Dr. Evans has already watched it yesterday, at his home, and was so happy with it, as it's the first time he has seen himself paddling in motion. And that makes us all so happy too.

As a curiosity, in the Spain of the late '60s, canoeing was sharing the news with Julio Iglesias and the stadium Santiago Bernabéu... At least, pictoresque.

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• NOT N 1344 B