Balearic paddlers shine at the 1st Spanish Olympic Sprint Cup

Following the 2nd National Selection Trials in Verducido, the 1st Spanish Senior and Junior Olympic Sprint Cup became the first major flatwater event of the national calendar, held this weekend at the Pontillón Reservoir.

The competition served to assess the form of the country’s leading paddlers, evaluate the performance of those who have changed clubs, and see in action for the first time at this level the young athletes who have moved up to the junior category.

As for the Balearic representation, the championship produced a very positive result for the island delegation, which returned home with five medals and a strong presence in finals, confirming the excellent form of several athletes from the archipelago in both the senior and paracanoe categories.

One of the standout names of the weekend was María dels Àngels Moreno, from the Reial Club Nàutic del Port de Pollença, who won the bronze medal in the women’s senior C1 500 metres. A result which, together with her performances in the National Selection Trials, confirms the Balearic paddler’s excellent early-season form.

The paracanoe squad also delivered a strong performance, with representation from the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Club Marítimo de Mahón, who together won four medals. Gold medals went to Irati Vidal, from Club Marítimo de Mahón, in Junior Women’s PK3, and to Adrián Castaño, from Real Club Náutico de Palma, in Senior Men’s PK1 500 metres. In addition, Asier Bulman, from CMM, took silver in Junior PK3, while Carles López, from RCNP, claimed bronze in PK1 500 metres, rounding off an outstanding performance for the Balearic clubs in this discipline.

Beyond the medal tally, the Balearic Islands had a strong presence in a large number of finals. In the 500-metre events, notable results included fifth places for Alex Graneri, from Real Club Náutico de Palma, in the senior K1, and for the senior crew he formed with Lluc Matas, also from Real Club Náutico de Palma, as well as for Theo Wolff, from Club Nàutic Portitxol, and Albert Gomis, from Reial Club Nàutic de Portopetro, in the junior category, among other standout performances.

The competition was also marked by very demanding weather conditions, with low temperatures and strong gusts of wind for much of the weekend, which added even more difficulty to an already highly demanding regatta. At national level, the Cup produced standout victories for paddlers such as Roi Rodríguez in the men’s K1 500, Daniela García in the women’s K1 500, Manuel Fontán in the men’s C1 500, and Viktoria Yarchevska in the women’s C1 500. In the 1000-metre session, Francisco Cubelos, Estefanía Fernández, Jaime Duro and Ana Cantero also stood out, while in the team boat events Club Fluvial de Lugo played a leading role.

In the final club standings, victory went to Club Escuela Piragüismo Aranjuez, which won this 1st Spanish Sprint Cup with 1,232 points. The podium was completed by Club Náutico de Sevilla, with 954 points, and Club Fluvial de Lugo, with 881 points.

The performance of the Balearic paddlers was therefore one of the most positive aspects of the championship. The medals won, the paracanoe results, and the large number of finalists reflect the growth of Balearic canoeing at the start of a highly promising season.