The victory of the opposition was sung... and there were no surprises.

Javier Hernanz is the new president of the Real Federación Española de Piraguismo after the motion of censure presented against the management of the so far maximum responsible for the national pyragüism, Pedro Pablo Barrios, has prospered in the framework of the Extraordinary Assembly convened for this purpose and has developed at the headquarters of the Spanish Olympic Committee in Madrid.

The nominating candidate has achieved massive support from the 66 Assemblies present (of the 102 voting rights) in the Goyeneche room of the COE. A total of 57 voted in favour of the proposal made by the Asturian palist, while six votes were against the motion. Finally, three of the Assembly members have cast their blank vote.

In this way, Hernanz takes over the national pyragüism of Pedro Pablo Barrios, who leaves the post after nine months in office, to become the seventh president in the history of the Royal Spanish Federation of Piragüismo, in which Hernando Calleja, Manuel Fonseca, José Perurena, Santiago Sanmamed, Juan José Román Mangas and Pedro Barrios preceded him.

Professional and member Piragüist for more than three minutes of the national team in the disciplines of sprint and marathon, Javier Hernanz (Arriolas, 1983) participated in the Olympic Games of Athens 2004 and Rio 2016, obtaining in the Brazilian meeting the fifth position in the test of K-4 1000 meters. In 2003, the World Marathon Champion in K-2 and bronze medal in the 2018 World Cup of calm waters (K-1 5000 meters), plus five other metals in European Championships, Hernanz was a candidate for the presidency in the last elections, held last February, with the triumph of Pedro Pablo Barrios, who agreed to the post after obtaining 52 votes, compared to 48 achieved by the Asturian.

In his investiture speech, Hernanz first wanted to thank the support "of all who have believed in my project from the very first moment, and in my capacity to work. I have been up to a pyre for seven years, I have 37 linked to this sport and I want to continue to help the Pyragüism."

After opening the hand to the outgoing president and to the Assemblies who have not supported his motion and invited them to continue rowing together, the new president of the RFEP has pointed out that his objective is "to put the management of our sport to the same level of our palists. It's gonna be hard, but we're gonna work it out. We are going to help the autonomous federations to tecnify in the best possible conditions, but above all we are going to professionalize this sport, providing the necessary means to coaches, arbitrators and all the people of the federation who can do their best."

"I will try to form a great family with all the disciplines, autonomous federations and everyone I want to support. We are never enough to help the Pyragüism," Hernanz said.

Finally, and after thanking "my parents and my family for the values they have transmitted to me: struggle, work, constancy and overcoming," Hernanz said that these are the values that he intends to transmit in his new role at the head of national pyragüism and promised that "we will work 16 hours a day for our sport," he concluded.