41st Descent of the Sella
Dionisio de la Huerta was still absent as the master of ceremonies, but the rain did not fail to appear, becoming the true protagonist of the 1977 edition. Heavy rainfall in the days leading up to the race significantly increased the Sella River’s flow, creating ideal conditions for an extremely fast race that would see new official records set.
In K2, victory went to the Spanish Olympic team pair, Luis Gregorio Ramos Misioné and José Ramón López Díaz, who stopped the clock at 1 h 10 min 50 s, setting a new event record at the time. Second place went to the Asturian duo Juan Luis Álvarez and Ricardo Soto Zaragoza, confirming the region’s strong performance.
In K1, the win went to fellow Olympian Herminio Menéndez, who set a new record with a time of 1 h 16 min 20 s, showcasing his exceptional form and further cementing his legend at the Sella.
The 1977 Descenso thus entered the history books for its combination of extreme river conditions, spectacular times, and the clear dominance of Spain’s Olympic paddlers.
What happened in 1978? Click here
tag: international descent of the river sella 1977
