The 88th edition of the Descenso Internacional del Sella drew an estimated 300,000 visitors to the Asturian comarca, culminating in a historic 13th victory for local paddler Walter Bouzán alongside partner Alberto Llera, according to event reports.
The Sella Descend Kicks Off With Tradition and Poetry
With roughly 1,200 paddlers representing around 20 nationalities gathered along the banks of the river, Santi Cazorla opened the festivities. Standing before the massive crowds, Cazorla delivered the traditional verse-form opening of the competition. Following the pregonero’s address, the crowd joined in to sing the regional anthem, Asturias, patria querida.
Moments after the final chord echoed across the water, Olympic canoeist and world champion Sara Ouzande unlocked the starting gate, marking the first time in the history of the event that a female athlete has performed the starting duty.
A Thrilling Sprint Finish on the Sella River
The K2 men’s race proved fiercely competitive across the 20-kilometer course connecting the bridges of Arriondas and Ribadesella. Walter Bouzán and Alberto Llera bided their time before taking the lead, eventually splitting the leading pack as the fleet approached the Rabión del Diablo. Up to eight boats traded positioning during the technical stretches of the race.
As the fleet entered the final straightaway, the local duo of Miguel Llorens and Denmark’s Valdemar Jorgensen held the front position. However, Bouzán and Llera unleashed a decisive sprint in the closing meters to cross the finish line first with a winning time of 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 26 seconds. Llorens and Jorgensen settled for second place following the multi-boat dash, while the Hungarian pair Adrian Boros and Tamas Erdelyi claimed third.
«We tried to play our cards,» Bouzán told local press outlet El Comercio following the podium ceremony. «We knew we were very strong.
Class Winners Across Categories
Beyond the headline-grabbing K2 men’s showdown, several other divisions crowned champions along the Asturian waterway:
- K1 Men: Won by Alberto Plaza with a time of 1 hour, 14 minutes, and 8 seconds.
- K2 Women: Claimed by the pairing of Amaia Osaba and Llara Tuset.
- K2 Mixed: Secured by Juan Rosete and Sara Asenjo.
Infrastructure Upgrades Aid Record Crowds
This year’s fiesta de las piraguas featured the debut of the newly constructed Emilio Llamedo bridge. The infrastructure project, valued at more than 5 million euros, features transparent walkways and a cantilevered viewing platform designed to give spectators an unobstructed look at the river and the starting sequence. Fans utilized the new vantage points as thousands lined the riverbanks from the early morning hours to watch the international fleet launch.
What Comes Next for the Sella
Share your thoughts on the thrilling finish in the comments below, or pass this recap along to fellow paddling enthusiasts.
Worth a look
