Spain underlined its strength in the mixed surfski double by taking the top two positions at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships on the island of Madeira, Portugal.
Featuring for the second successive year as an official medal event, the mixed SS2 race was once again won by a Spanish crew.
After the success of Judit Verges Xifra and Walter Bouzan in 2023, it was the turn of compatriots Chloe Bunnett and Victor Rodriguez to take the title in 2024.
Verges Xifra and Bouzan were in the mix to retain their crown only for Bunnett and Rodriquez to come out on top.
Bunnett and Rodriguez triumphed in a time of 1:29:32.86 as Verges Xifra and Bouzan crossed in 1:29:54.95 for silver.
The bronze medal was won by the South African crew of Matthew Fenn and Saskia Johanna Hockly who finished in 1:30:50.68.
There was delight for South Africa in the mixed under 23 SS2 as Georgia Singe and Ulvard Hart took the title in 1:29:03.27.
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Portugal’s Bernardo Pereira and Ana Brito clocked 1:33:29.08 for silver, while the bronze went to Spain’s Padlo St Mary and Sara Mengual.
South Africa also topped the mixed junior SS2 category after Holly Smith and Ryley Smith crossed first in 1:36:07.16.
They defeated two Spanish crews as Pablo Rosco Garcia and Lara Cellier sealed silver in 1:36:13.17 and Asier Aizpurua and Nur Hachawi bagged bronze in 1:37:14.93.
Two-time Olympic medallist Fernando Pimenta of Portugal featured on Saturday as he teamed up with Luis Ventura to clinch silver in the non-official category of the men’s SS2 after finishing behind compatriots Marco Gomes and Antonio Ribeiro.
For the results and competition schedule, click here.
Full coverage of this week's event can be viewed on the Planet Canoe YouTube channel.
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