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.

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.

Emilio Llamedo claims gold in a spectacular 5000m Spanish Championships race

Emilio Llamedo, "Milín", got crowned once again at the Winter Championships in Spain getting his fourth title in 5,000m after a brilliant race that he ended up surpassing Javier Hernanz and Francisco Cubelos in a long and tight sprint, entering commanding a long row of paddlers who reported the good health of current senior category in Spain. Not surprisingly 19 of them finished below 21 minutes, with a 20'02 " gold medal time.

Four Winter Championships for Llamedo at just 25 years old. Foto: E. Durán

Under a very nice weather, the senior K1 race was the highlight of a Sunday  morning that we will comment in successive entries. After a hectic start, as usual with the 70 best paddlers from the qualifying on Saturday over 2,000 meters (and it must be said, somewhat like a "pretty bad start" by the officials), the lead was divided into two arrow points, one with the main favorites on the left bank, with Hernanz, Cosgaya and Cubelos, while the center lined was leaded by Olympic Champion Carlos Perez Rial with Carlos Garrote and Rodrigo Germade on his wash. Meanwhile, an explosive Joan Ardit tried it himself on the right.

Finally, under Barqueta bridge, the race surrendered to the pace set by Javier Hernanz, who leaded the return of the first lap followed by a large group of at least a dozen paddlers with all favorites except perhaps Emilio Merchán, who came in a very large second group led by Kiko Vega, just 30 meters off the lead.

National trials have decided Spanish teams for the Sprint European Championships

Last weekend, through two different trials, held at the venues of Verducido (Galicia) and Trasona (Asturias), Spain have decided its teams to paddle at the European Championships to be held at Zagreb (CRO) for the seniors in late June and at Montemor-o-Velho (POR) in mid July for juniors and U23.

No doubt about the main character at this trials: Javier Hernanz, after his olympic dissapointment, has won the three events he was competing at: K2 500 and K2 1.000, with his usual partner Diego Cosgaya, and also the K1 5.000, where he got the bronze medal at World Cup 1 at Poznan, last week. Also to remark the victory of Íñigo Peña in K1, both in 500 and in 1.000, earning the right to represent Spain at both the senior and the U23 Europeans, as it's also the case of Carlos Arévalo. This last one, who already showed a great performance at the 200 metres Spanish Cup, winning both K1 and K2, took this time the K1 spot, leaving second the main favourite, the Basque Ekaitz Saies. Something similar happened at the K2, where almost nobody was betting for youngsters Paulino Otero and Cristian Toro, who surprisingly left out of the National Team current and former World Champions, like Fran Llera, Pablo Andrés or Carlos Pérez Rial.

Day 1 at Poznan European Sprint Qualifier, the Spanish review

Spain has gone through the first day of the Poznan Sprint European  Olympic Qualifiers with satisfying results. Five boats out of six competing today are already in tomorrow finals. The C2 1.000 of Bouza/Fernández was already into the final as there are just 9 contestants.

Of those racing today, only the K1 200 of the Saúl Craviotto is pending of a semifinal tomorrow morning. Luckily, it seems that he will be paddling an easier semi, as in the second one people like Öström, Balciunas or Novakovic won't be able to fail if they want the three positions going to the final. Already waiting, as they qualified straight from the heats, are the Italian Rizza, the Belgian Richard and the Ukranian Kharitonov. Nevertheless, we will see which aspect shows tomorrow the weather at Poznan, after a cold and windy day today that made the course bumpy and tough to paddle, even more in such an explosive distance as the 200.

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.

Video of the Spanish National Championships over 5.000 metres

You may find the race chronicle at this link. Thanks a lot to braisvilaboa for this video.

Francisco Cubelos, David Cal and Eva Barrios, Spanish champions on 5.000 metres

Photo: David Cal beats Tono Campos (Europa Press)

In a sunny morning in Seville, with great races on all the categories, Francisco Cubelos (Club Talavera Talak) in K1 Senior, David Cal (Club de Mar Ría de Aldán - Hermanos Gandón) in C1 Senior and Eva Barrios (Club Deportivo Durius Tecozam - Viajes Sanabria) in K1 Women Senior are the new Spanish Winter Champions over the distance of 5.000 metres.

At the main category, the K1 Men Senior showed the great moment that our Olympic hopes are going through, with an outstanding performance by "Paco" Cubelos and Javier Hernanz finishing under 20 minutes. The 19-year-old Cubelos stopped the clock at 19'56", just two seconds ahead Hernanz after a memorable sprint. The two London qualifiers nominees have shown their great shape this weekend, as on Saturday were also leading the 2.000 metres trials. 

Results of Day 1 at the Spanish Winter Championships in Seville

First day of the Spanish Winter Championships, with crowded races at Seville course of La Cartuja. Seniors and Juniors have raced the 2.000 metres trials to qualify for tomorrow's 5.000 metres finals.

At the Seniors trials, Francisco Cubelos has set the best time with a world-class 7'38", just 2 seconds ahead of Javier Hernanz (7'40"). Third position was for Íñigo Peña (7'44").

Tomorrow we will have a full chronicle of the weekend, but meanwhile here you have the results for Day 1:

Seniors and Juniors
Under 16
Masters

Javier Hernanz wins the Winter Championship in Asturias (Spain)

Last Sunday took place at Trasona Dam (Asturias, Spain) the Winter Championship over 5.000 metres and, as it happened on Saturday with the 2.000 time trial, the National Team member Javier Hernanz (Grupo Cultura Covadonga) had no opponent in a cold and rainy morning.

Although Hernanz made an awful start, where he couldn't find a proper way and got stuck behind the group trying not to take many risks, he managed to go on the left side of the course looking for clean water out of the bunch's wash and showed his skills on the 1.000, overpassing the group and being already leader out of the first turn.