The duo Quentin Urban and Jeremy Candy followed closely behind the 2019 champions, José Julián Becerro and Miguel Fernández Castañón, breaking through the thorny path to claim victory in the Sella International Descent as the event returned after the pause caused by the pandemic. The French pair, who had just finished second at the European marathon a few days earlier, crossed the Ribadesella Estuary in front, despite conceding some ground at the La Boticaria stretch. The most celebrated couple of the race, Walter Bouzán and Álvaro Fernández Fiuza, notched their ninth triumph, but the French team managed to slip away in the final 400 meters. In third place, the craft of Julio Martínez and Emilio Called Iglesias edged ahead of Miguel Llorens and Alberto Plaza by a narrow margin, failing to defend the European title in Sella. The defending winners Calf and Castañón were quickly superseded, their hopes fading as the finish drew near.
The Arriondas bridge stood under a bright blue sky, its banks packed with spectators, confirming that Sella has regained its former glow. The start always promises spectacle and challenge alike, and South Africans Clinton Cook and Hamish Lovemore seemed to seize that opening surge. Argentine siblings Dardo and Franco Balboa followed not far behind. The early pace set by the leaders faded for the Balboas, but the field—featuring Llorens/Plaza, Bouzán/Fiuza, Urban/Candy, and Martínez/Llamedo Iglesias—held together in an elite group. Five boats formed the core, tracking most of the route in tandem until Balboas dropped off at Cueves. The race boiled down to a last-minute decision in one of the most thrilling finishes in recent memory. La Boticaria required precise water management, and each crew carved its own route. Urban and Candy chased Bouzán and Fiuza, with the path to a ninth Sella title looking particularly open, only for the French pair to rebound decisively and sail under the Ribadesella bridge with poised certainty.
The first women’s K-2 duo consisted of Amaia Osaba and Eva Barrios, giving them a third straight victory at the Fiesta de las Piraguas. In K-1, Sotobarquense Javi López overtook the world champion Mads Pedersen, while Irene Ghana topped the standings in the inaugural female K-1 category.
The narrative repeated across the event as Urban and Candy again arrived just behind the 2019 victors, Becerro and Fernández Castañón, and propelled themselves toward triumph on the Sella Descent, marking a triumphant return after the pause. The French team, who had just claimed second place at the European marathon days earlier, managed to hold the lead at the Ribadesella Estuary despite a stumble at La Boticaria. Bouzán and Fernández Fiuza, the event’s most successful couple, captured their ninth win with a display of precision, but the French contingent escaped in the final stretch. In third, the boat of Julio Martínez and Emilio Called Iglesias edged Miguel Llorens and Alberto Plaza by a mere handful of fingers, failing to validate their European championship status in Sella. The last winning duo, Calf and Castañón, saw their chances slip away and were soon relegated from contention.
The blue expanse above the Arriondas setting and the festive energy along the bridge reinforced that Sella has regained its shine. The start remains an unforgettable spectacle—simultaneously dazzling and demanding—and Clinton Cook and Hamish Lovemore from South Africa appeared to take full advantage. Nearby, Argentine brothers Dardo and Franco Balboa kept pace. The early sprint faded for the Balboas, yet the South Americans stayed in the mix with Llorens/Plaza, Bouzán/Fiuza, Urban/Candy, and Martínez/Llamedo Iglesias, maintaining an elite group that stayed together for much of the course. Five boats dominated the field, moving as a unit for much of the route until Balboas fell off at Cueves. Everything hinged on a late twist, in what would be remembered as one of the sport’s most gripping conclusions. La Boticaria demanded deft water management as each crew carved its own course. Urban and Candy’s chosen path did not immediately appear the most promising, trailing Bouzán and Fiuza, when a ninth Sella victory was within reach. Yet the French team surged back with composure and crossed under the Ribadesella bridge with apparent ease.
The opening female K-2 crew featured Amaia Osaba and Eva Barrios, delivering their third consecutive triumph at the Fiesta de las Piraguas. Sotobarquense Javi López outperformed world champion Mads Pedersen in K-1, while Irene Ghana led the charge in the first female K-1. [Citation: Sella Descent race records and official results]