Great experience of the young Balearic paddlers in the Spanish Championship of Young Promises

Last weekend the best national paddlers took part in the Spanish Championship of Young Cadet Promises, which took place in the reservoir of Cazalegas (Toledo).

The Balearic canoeists from Club Nàutic Sant Antoni, Club Nàutic Portitxol, Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx, Real Club Náutico de Palma, Reial Club Nàutic Port de Pollença and Reial Club Nàutic Portopetro did not miss this outstanding national event.

Es Nàutic took part in the competition with a total of ten paddlers and managed to place fourteenth in the general classification of clubs. "This position has a lot of merit for our club; we did not expect to be so high in the classification. We are very satisfied with the results obtained and the individual performance of our paddlers, in very demanding races, with a very high level and participation", explained Es Nàutic's coach, Eduardo Prendes.

On Saturday the qualifying heats were held over a distance of 3,000 meters, with the best 80 athletes qualifying for the 5,000-meter finals on Sunday. In some of the categories the participation reached up to 145 athletes and all the paddlers from Es Nàutic and the five from Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx qualified for the finals, except the paddler from Ibiza Hugo Hawkins (Cadet B), who came to gain experience in this type of national competitions, with such a demanding level.

As for the individual results in the finals of the Es Nàutic paddlers, the 19th position achieved by Toni Llorens in Men's K-1 Cadet B (15 years old) stands out, who executed an extraordinary race, after a start with many problems in which he was relegated to the last positions. It should be remembered that Toni is included in the Balearic Islands Technification Centre. On behalf of the Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx, Jorge Garrido came 50th; Maximilian Flaska 52nd, and Víctor Sobzak, 53rd. 

Following with Es Nàutic, Candela Madrigal and Carla Costa were 31st and 32nd, respectively, in Women's K-1 Cadet B (15 years old). In Men's K-1 Cadet A (16 years old), Roy Kikozashvili was 36th, Facundo González 38th and Sigifredo Felipe 77th, the latter suffering a capsize after 1,500 meters, when he was in the top 50. And finally, in Women's K-1 Cadet A (16 years old), María Gallego was 25th, Iciar Solé 30th and Valentina Rodríguez, who is also included in the Balearic Technification Centre, was 59th after capsizing at the start. 

In the 5,000m Women's Cadet K-1 B final, Club de Vela paddlers Alba Fernández and Margalida Alemany finished 19th and 33rd, respectively. 

Next weekend Es Nàutic is sending a team of 4 boys and 2 girls to Verducido, in Pontevedra, where the 1st Spanish Junior Sprint Cup will take place.