The Spanish canoeing team experienced one of the most successful days in its recent history at the European Sprint and Paracanoe Championships, held this past weekend in Racice (Czech Republic). However, it was the Mallorcan canoeist Maria del Àngels Moreno, originally from Pollença, who stood out brilliantly by winning three gold medals, an unprecedented feat in the history of Spanish canoeing at the top European competition. Meanwhile, fellow Mallorcan Alex Graneri claimed silver in the K1 500 event.

Maria del Àngels Moreno

The Moreno-Yarchevska duo crosses the finish line in first position in the women’s C2-200. Photo: Royal Spanish Canoeing Federation (RFEP).

Moreno (2004), from the Reial Club Nàutic Port de Pollença (RCNPP), establishes herself as the first national paddler to achieve three European titles in a single edition of the championship, and she has done so with flawless performances in three different disciplines. On Saturday, she began her golden haul alongside Viktoriia Yarchevska in the women’s C2 200 metres, a race in which they beat the Ukrainian pair by just 0.067 seconds (42.242).

Hours later, the pollencina once again stood atop the podium, this time as part of the mixed C4 500 metres team, alongside Daniel Grijalba, Adrián Sieiro and María Corbera. The quartet delivered an outstanding performance with a time of 1:36.255, earning them the European gold.

Third gold for Maria dels Àngels Moreno in the Olympic distance C2 500 metres

On Sunday, Moreno and Yarchevska once again demonstrated their teamwork and strength by winning the Olympic event of the C2 500 metres, securing the third gold medal for the Mallorcan athlete. With this final victory, the paddler from Pollença makes history in Spanish canoeing, setting a record that no other national representative had achieved at a European Championship until now.

Silver in K1 500 for Graneri

Another highlight of the competition came on Saturday from fellow Mallorcan Alex Graneri (2003), who took the silver medal in the K1 500 metres event. With a time of 1:38.242, it was one of the fastest races of the day. This result also consolidates the young paddler from the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) as one of the national team’s key figures in individual distances.

Overall, the Spanish team closed the championship with 12 medals (four golds, four silvers and four bronzes), recording the second-best result in their history at this competition, only surpassed by the Munich 2022 edition. Furthermore, the large number of fourth-place finishes demonstrates the excellent form of the national delegation.