New World Champion Iván Alonso takes another double victory at Canal de Castilla (Spain)

The brand new double Marathon World Champion, Iván Alonso, got last Sunday another two victories at the Canal de Castilla International Regatta, held at Melgar de Fernamental (central Spain). The also world champions at Rome, Antonio Campos and Eva Barrios were the winners in the C1 and Women races, in that order. The K2 Senior Men was comfortably claimed by Rome gold medalists Emilio Merchán and Iván Alonso, as a perfect end for their amazing season.

Some of the best Spanish marathonians, also with clubs from Portugal and the Hungarian National Team, dated at the Spanish Channel of Castilla. The K1 race was with no doubt the most competed of the day, with four world champions in the five boats leading bunch, including Merchán, Iván Alonso, Jorge Alonso and Fiuza, plus the young promising David R. Dorado. After the second portage, just Merchán, Fiuza and Iván Alonso managed to stay in the lead, while Jorge Alonso and Dorado stayed a few metres behind fighting for a comeback. Fiuza, suffered at the third and fourth prtages, where he finally lost contact. That made a two paddlers sprint won by Iván Alonso, with Merchán in second place and Fiuza finally third.

In the K2, victory went to Merchán and Iván Alonso, but this time in a solo race, as they didn't want to risk at the very narrow platform for the portage put in. At the finish line, they got two minutes over the other champions new K2, Jorge Alonso and Fiuza, who said afterwards that they never found themselves comfortable in their first race together. They even risked to lose the second position after a great end of the race by David Machado and Marco Santos, who finally claimed the third place and let out of the podium in fourth the Hungarians Holpert and Pelyi.

In K1 Women, the twice U23 Marathon World Champion Eva Barrios claimed victory, followed by hear national teammate Laura Pedruelo and the veteran Mara Santos in third position.

In the Senior C1, another three Spanish National Team members deserving the podium, with Antonio Campos and Óscar Graña, world champions in C1 and C2, making the whole race neck to neck until Campos showed to be a bit faster at the final sprint, while third position, a couple of minutes later, was for a promising international U23 Carlos Vega.

At this link you can check all the results.