ICF MARATHON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – PONTE DE LIMA

Posted at 02.10.2022

Despite de lack of investment from some of the biggest federations, marathon is very much alive and exciting. It's sill atractive and, in Ponte de Lima, home of many great marathon paddlers and the biggest club in Portugal, found its perfect match. This was a World Championship to remember for the years to come: for the races, for the venue, for the joy, for the flood of people, for the city.

The main attraction of the week was, of course, Fernando Pimenta, one of the most successfull sprinters of the last and current decade, born and raised in Ponte de Lima. He decided to race for his crowd and prove that his marathon medals of the past were not just a coincidence. As usual, he took the risk, mixed the odds and came on the other side as a winner. He stormed the Short Race with a perfect tactic and great portage skills, crossing the finish line just ahead the european champion, Mads Pedersen. In third, Ivan Alonso, completed the (Jantex) podium.

Pimenta would also dramatically change the K2 race when he decided to pair with José Ramalho. They were always in control and made it look like it was almost not possible to beat their combination of power and endurance. Miguel Llorens and Alberto Plaza followed them almost until the last turn and finished with a very tasty Silver Medal. In the end, two Gold Medals for Pimenta and a very solid 5^th place in the Long Race.

But he was not the only Jantex paddler with 2 medals in this Worlds. Mads Pedersen left Portugal with Silver in the Short and Bronze in the Long race, proving that he is always ready to fight for every race.

Samantha Rees-Clark results were no surprise for those familiar with the sport. In Portugal, she showed an admirable consistency: Bronze Medal in the Short (Silver for Estefanía Fernandez) and Long races.

A pleasant suprise in Portugal was Beatriz Fernandes. Junior World Champion in C1 200, she also wanted to race in front of her home crowd and became Marathon Junior World Champion in a perfect race that she dominated from start to finish – a very unsual, but very tasty, canoe top 3 for us as Anastasia Dezhytska finished second and Ana Pereira third. But Beatriz had something more to give and she managed to pull a surprising Bronze Medal out of the Short Race.

For the second year, Julian Salinas, made it to the medal position in K1 Junior. He also managed to finish second in the K2 race pairing with Baltazar Itria. A very strong Junior team came from Argentina as the Bronze went for their compatriots Vicente Vergauven and Joaquin Catalano.

A word also for Philip Knudsen, Silver Medal in the U23 between a very hard South African competition.

For the first time, Paracanoe was included in the program. Let's hope these athletes keep having the opportunity to race internationally even when they don't make it to the sprint team.

Here is the list of Jantex Medalists

Fernando Pimenta – Gold K1 M Short Race and K2 M

Beatriz Fernandes – Gold C1 Junior, Bronze C1 W Short Race

Mads Pedersen – Silver K1 Short Race and Bronze K1 M

Estefania Fernandez – Silver K1 W Short Race

Philip Knudsen – Silver U23

Julian Salinas – Silver K1 and K2 Junior

Baltazar Itria – Silver K2 Junior

Anastasia Dezhytska – Silver C1 Junior

Zsofia Czellai – Silver K2 W

Miguel Llorens – Silver K2 M

Alberto Plaza – Silver K2 M