Fernando Pimenta enjoyed a happy homecoming as he clinched two gold medals at the European Canoe Association Canoe Marathon European Championships in Ponte de Lima, Portugal.
The hometown hero secured the men’s kayak single short-race title before joining forces with Jose Ramalho to seal the men’s kayak double crown on home waters.
It was a weekend to remember for the two-time Olympic medallist who is looking to bounce back in 2025 after a difficult 2024 season.
Pimenta needed to dig deep to see off Great Britain’s James Russell to win men’s K1 short-race gold by just over half a second after crossing in 13:18.08.
Russell finished in 13:18.64 for silver as he found himself sandwiched between two Portuguese paddlers on the podium as Ramalho bagged bronze in 13:19.29.
Pimenta’s golden double was completed when he and Ramalho teamed up to win the men’s K2 title on the final day of competition.
They claimed the win in 2:01:57.68 as Hungary’s Adrian Boros and Tamas Erdelyi clinched silver in 2:01:59.87 and Spain’s Miguel Llorens and Alberto Plaza secured bronze in 2:02:02.87.
Russell might have missed out on short-race gold but emerged victorious in the men’s K1 long distance.
The British paddler produced a stunning performance to secure gold in 2:06:36.24 as Portugal’s Ramalho took silver in 2:06:37.58.
Fresh from winning gold at the International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Cup in Szeged last month, Norway’s Jon Amund Vold claimed bronze in 2:06:38.79.
There was also a new winner in the women’s K1 category as Norway’s Anna Margrete Sletsjoee toppled the mighty Vanda Kiszli of Hungary.
Sletsjoee bagged long-distance gold in 2:05:24.51 as Kiszli came second in 2:05:35.11 and fellow Hungarian Panna Csepe took bronze in 2:05:56.48.
Despite that disappointment, Hungary’s multiple world and European champion Kiszli still came away with two gold medals.
Kiszli got the better of Sletsjoee to retain the women’s K1 short-race crown in a time of 14:54.99.
Sletsjoee crossed four seconds later in 14:59.13, while bronze went to Denmark’s Pernille Kuijers Hostrup who finished in 15:04.26.
There was a Hungarian one-two in the women’s kayak double as Kiszli linked up with Zsofia Szerafin to overcome Panna Sinko and Csepe.
Szerafin and Kiszli got the win in 1:58:52.88 as Sinko and Csepe picked up silver after finishing in 1:58:58.90.
Spain’s Irati Osa Irureta and Eva Barrios delivered bronze in 1:59:08.70.
Spanish shine in canoe as Ukraine’s Tsyhankova takes title
In the canoe events, there was delight for Spain courtesy of victories for Jaime Duro and Manuel Campos.
Duro saw off the Polish challenge of Mateusz Zuchora and Mateusz Borgiel to clinch the men’s canoe single short-race title.
Duro clocked 15:10.58 to take the victory as Zuchora followed in 15:27.18 and Borgiel in 15:30.90.
Campos successfully defended his men’s C1 long-distance crown after posting a time of 1:48:53.39.
Portugal’s Rui Lacerda put up a strong challenge only to fall 0.88 seconds short in 1:48:57.27 for silver.
Spain’s Fernando Busto Bandin joined Campos on the podium after securing bronze in 1:49:10.78.
Germany’s Annette Wehrmann triumphed in the women’s C1 short race in a time of 17:37.19.
France’s Yseline Huet came second in 17:51.38, with Ukraine’s Olena Tsyhankova coming third in 17:57.21.
Tsyhankova claimed women’s C1 long-distance gold as her Ukrainian team-mate and defending champion Liudmyla Babak finished outside the medals.
A time of 1:24:49.71 saw Tsyhankova come out on top as Hungary’s Lili Sara Matkovics sealed silver in 1:24:55.37.
Fellow Hungarian Zsofia Nora Kisban secured bronze in 1:25:46.22 as Babak missed out on a medal, finishing fourth.
On the final day, Portugal's Lacerda and Ricardo Coelho combined to win men’s canoe double gold in 1:40:37.32.
They were followed by two Spanish pairings as Duro and Oscar Grana collected silver in 1:42:02.01 and Campos and Diego Romero earned bronze in 1:43:55.53.
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