Home hopefuls Guillermo Fidalgo de Leon and Alba Oronich Morancho emerged as the stars of the International Canoe Federation Wildwater Canoeing Ranking Race in Huesca, Spain.
The two Spanish paddlers secured double-gold success across the sprint and classic events over the weekend as the host nation swept up the medals.
Fidalgo de Leon set the pace early, producing the standout performance in the men’s K1 sprint.
He powered to victory in 52.01, finishing ahead of Marcos Gonzalez Diaz, who claimed silver in 53.90 and David Martinez Herrera in 54.50.
Oronich Morancho matched that achievement in the women’s K1 sprint, opening her medal campaign with victory in 1:01.63.
Laura Miralles Prats pushed her closely, finishing just 0.27 seconds behind in 1:01.90, while Eva Gilart Roset secured bronze in 1:02.50 for another Spanish one-two-three.
Spain’s Alan Padilla Moreno powered to the men’s C1 sprint title in 1:02.08, finishing ahead of compatriots Iker Jimenez Larios in 1:02.92 and Sergi Villas Gasulla in 1:07.44.
In the women’s C1 sprint, Eider De Santos Larranaga powered to victory in 1:09.26, with Sara Ines Varela Cortinas claiming silver in 1:16.46 and Ximena Prats Moreiras taking bronze in 1:22.61 for another Spanish clean sweep.
The men’s C2 sprint saw Spaniards Alan Padilla Moreno and Iker Jimenez Larios combine to take the title in 59.18.
Compatriots Rodrigo Ramos Collado and Diego Portilla Justel came close behind in 1:00.71, while Spain’s Eric Gilart Roset and Sergi Villas Gasulla completed the podium in 1:08.01.
The women’s C2 sprint produced a high stakes final as Spain’s Eva Gilart Roset and Alba Oronich Morancho claimed gold in 1:18.45.
Enma Devesa Fernandez and Nuria Romero Gomez secured silver in 1:24.74, finishing just 0.11 seconds ahead of bronze medallists Carlota Liaz Lopez and Marta Paradelo Rodriguez, who crossed the line in 1:24.85 in another all Spanish podium.
Fidalgo de Leon continued his outstanding weekend in the men’s K1 classic, securing his second victory of the competition with a winning time of 14:55.31.
Fernando Fernandez Martinez claimed silver in 15:22.29, while Javier Rodriguez Villamor finished third in 15:31.33.
Oronich Morancho completed her own sprint-classic double in the women’s K1 classic, producing another impressive performance to take gold in 17:29.97.
Laura Blasco Velasco followed in second with 17:42.60, while Nuria Romero Gomez secured bronze in 18:08.31.
The closest race of the entire competition came in the men’s C1 classic, where Spanish duo Iker Jimenez Larios and Sergi Villas Gasulla fought out a dramatic finish.
Jimenez Larios edged victory by just eight hundredths of a second, taking gold in 18:03.47 ahead of Villas Gasulla in 18:03.55.
Another Spanish in Alan Padilla Moreno completed the podium in 18:09.06, finishing 5.59 seconds behind the leading pair.
Eider De Santos Larranaga delivered a sprint-classic double in the women’s C1, adding another gold medal with victory in 19:19.21. Enma Devesa Fernandez claimed silver in 22:33.77, while the bronze medal position remained vacant following a DNS.
The men’s C2 classic title went to Padilla Moreno and Jimenez Larios, who continued their successful partnership with victory in 17:50.96.
Rodrigo Ramos Collado and Diego Portilla Justel secured silver in 18:14.00, while Hugo Rodriguez Vega and Saul Rodriguez Vega completed the podium in 18:53.59.
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