Río Negro, day 2: Spaniard Iván Alonso crushes the race in K1

Finished the first third of Black River with the arrival yesterday to Villa Regina and, regarding the K1s, the race is already virtually decided except further surprises. Iván Alonso put the hammer down and showed his quality along the 59 km. of the stage. Since the eighth kilometre made a solo paddle in the absence of rivals that could hang up on his wash. His companion on the first stage, the U23 Nicolás Salvo, yesterday finished second more than 7 minutes away from Alonso.

Photo: Diario Río Negro

It was not that clear the race of the K2s, where Pinta and Mozzicafredo this time were second behind Balboa and Guerrero. The defending champions did not make the mistake of the first day and all the first half of this long second session (they went up to three hours at the finish line) was performed in a compact group that had up to eight boats. Gradually, of course, they were losing effectives until midway Balboa and Guerrero decided to attack after two hours of paddling in the bunch.

Río Negro, day 1: Victorious return of Pinta and Mozzicafredo

Pinta and Mozzicafredo facing the finish line. Photo: Matías Subat

The first stage of the 40th edition of the Río Negro Regatta (Argentina) recovered the starring of the river kings, Néstor Pinta and Martin Mozzicafredo. The 12-time champions returned to the water after an absence of two years and cutted from its roots the expectations about their duel with the defending champions, Franco Balboa and José Luis Guerrero, who yesterday, in the first assault, lost more than three minutes despite being the second boat through the finish line.

For the second time in history, the race began in the town of Cipolleti and not in Neuquen, the usual starting point. With some unstable and cloudy weather, Balboa and Guerrero took the lead just after the start and set a blistering pace.

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

Isaquias Queiroz, athlete of the year in Brazil

Canoeist Isaquías Queiroz has been chosen by the Brazilian Olympic Committee as the best athlete of Brazil during 2015.

After his two medals at the World Championships in Milan (gold in C2 1000 and bronze in C1 200) and the three golds at the PanAmerican Games in Toronto, the new pupil of Suso Morlán won the voting over the tennis player Marcelo Melo and the beach volleyball couple Alison and Bruno.

"I thank God and my coach (Morlán) for this achievement. Without him I wouldn't be the athlete that everyone knows nor reach the big goals I'm reaping" were his first remarks after the news were known.

Queiroz, who everything seems to indicate that will attempt at the Olympics in Rio to get three medals (C1 200 and C1 and C2 over 1,000), adds a new step in its relentless rise to sports stardom, not only within the world of the canoeing, but general sport and Olympism in his country.

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 ...