Since the ICF World Marathon Championships officially started in 1988, many great paddlers have made themselves world known. But only a few passed through the gate that brings them to the hall of legends.

The Spanish K2 of Walter Bouzán and Álvaro F. Fiuza is already knocking to come in. Their achievements are impressive. In just two years as a couple they have won two Marathon World Championships, two Sella Descents (included in the ICF World Marathon Classic Series) and a silver medal in the European Marathon Championships. Álvaro Fiuza already being World and European champion in 2009 with his former partner Emilio Merchán, puts him just one gold medal away from the best wins in a row ever (Manuel Busto & Oier Aizpurúa in 2004-05-06-07). Walter Bouzán had already won the Sella Descent twice in the K1 category, something that is very meaningful to somebody who was born and still lives by the shore of the most famous river in Spain.

After those impressive individual careers, their performance was challenged even further when they were encouraged to make a new K2 to chase further goals.

Sportscene had the privilege of interviewing them during their pre-season training.

Sportscene – How old were you and how did you begin canoeing?

Álvaro: I started paddling when I was eleven years old. I was encouraged by my cousin Marta who had been paddling for many years.

Walter: I come from a traditional canoeing village, Ribadesella, where everybody paddles on a kayak at least once in their life, so it didn’t take long before I tried it too. I was about 10 years old.

Sportscene – What is the basic training for a Marathon paddler? How many sessions and kilometres do you paddle daily?

Álvaro: It depends on the exact time within the season. During the pre-season we do about ten sessions a week. On weekdays we can paddle around 20 or 25 kms, but on weekends sometimes we do over 40 kms a day. We live in different towns, so I’m training in Trasona (Asturias) in a group of first line paddlers under the direction of coaches Miguel García and Rodrigo Tieso. My training partners are first line paddlers like the Beijing olympic champions Carlos Pérez and Saúl Craviotto, Fran Llera, Borja Prieto or Rodrigo Germade, all international level competitors.

Walter: As I live in my hometown, I train with the Spanish masters champions Andrés Cangas and Monchu Cerra, who was my former K2 partner and has now become my coach. On weekends I travel to Trasona, so Álvaro and I can do the sessions together.

Sportscene – Walter, as a junior you were already labelled as a future Sella Descent winner, one of the most famous international marathons.  However, you have achieved even greater goals, adding to your two first Sella victories in K1, another two in K2 and these two World Marathon Championships in a row. What role has Álvaro played in this impressive progress?

Walter: Of course he has played a very important role in my success, as he was the partner who finally gave me the punch I needed to get the K2 victory at Sella, that the eleven times winner Julio Martínez took away from me for the previous four years. And as a plus, we now have two World Championships and many other international regatta wins behind us, so I only have praise for him.

Sportscene – Álvaro, you won your first Marathon world title in 2009 with your former partner Emilio Merchán, world K2 1000 metres gold medalist, a very powerful paddler from the Spanish Sprint team. Was it a big change adapting to such a different partner like Walter Bouzán?

Álvaro: Not at all, we got on very well on the kayak from the first day, it was just as easy with Merchán, too. Both are very used to paddling in K2, so they also adjusted their style to suit mine. The only difference actually is their pace change, much stronger in Emilio, softer but very comfortable with Walter.

Sportscene – It is said that out of the water you are very good friends. How much is that an advantage for your great performances?

Álvaro: Of course that’s very positive because we trust each other and that makes communication on the kayak much more fluent, both for the bad and the good things. And most importantly for me is that this mutual trust makes our training sessions very comfortable and paddling focused, so tension doesn’t exist at all.

Walter: I totally agree with Álvaro. We also bring this feeling to competitions so there is no tension right from the start.

Sportscene – The Spanish Marathon has been growing continuously for the last 15 years. You still have years of paddling at the highest level, but do you think that the young paddlers are well placed to keep Spain at the top?

Álvaro: I’m sure that Spain is already on the way to doing this, with such talented and strong paddlers like our good friend and training partner Emilio Llamedo or Borja Estomba, both U23 European champions, or Iván Alonso, who was fifth in the K1 Senior race in Singapore. In the ladies division, Eva Barrios U23 world champion, is aiming to become a senior world class paddler. They will all give their best and gain great results for our nation in the future.

Sportscene – We guess it’s difficult to plan a season when the Spanish trials and National Championships have the level of an international competition and only two boats go through to the World Championships with the national team. Do you try to be at your peak for the spring trials or plan to be in best shape in August-September?

Álvaro: Yes, we actually plan our trainings so that we are in top shape for the later months in the season.

Walter: Yes, we do that. Me, I don’t have as much time during the winter to be 100% fit, so I train harder in summer.

Sportscene – During the 2012 season, the Marathon World Championships will be held in Rome, just a month and a half after the Olympic Games. Do you think this will encourage some of the Olympic paddlers to challenge for the Marathon title?

Álvaro: We’re pretty sure of it. In my first victory in 2009 there were Olympic paddlers like Rene Poulsen, silver medalist in Beijing, and the Italian, Piemonte. In Singapore, in 2011, there were some top sprinters, too, like Ben Fouhy and canoeist star Attila Vajda.

Sportscene – Have you become professionals or do you still have a different job out of the kayak?

Walter: I’ve got my daily job as a mason, so sometimes it’s hard to fix my training schedule, but I have a very good relationship with my boss and that’s always helpful.

Álvaro: I’m a National Policeman. I really have to thank the institution itself and the Police Sports Section for all the help they give me to be at the top in Canoeing.

Sportscene – With this amateur status, what role can sponsors play in the current canoeing panorama?

Walter & Álvaro: They play a key role. We are very lucky to be in a club like Feve Oviedo Kayak. The club itself and its sponsor Feve have always done their best in supporting us for many years. And now we have also got some private sponsors like Nelo kayaks, Oakley sunglasses, Victory & Endurance sport nutrition, SportHG technical clothes and Bracsa paddles. We must thank them all for their terrific help and support that has let us achieve our great results.

Sportscene – A wish for 2012?

Álvaro: I would wish everybody health and happiness… and that wish includes good results, haha.

Walter: I wish for it to be at least like 2011.