47th Descent of the Sella
In 1983, the International Descent of the Sella once again broke its own participation record, bringing together 1,450 paddlers from numerous clubs and federations. This figure further cemented its reputation as one of Europe’s largest and most prestigious river races.
One of the main technical innovations that year was the introduction of traffic lights at the start, replacing the traditional flag or gunshot that often led to chaotic departures. Thanks to this new system, the start became safer and more orderly, modernising a critical moment of the event.
The finish delivered the Sella’s trademark excitement with a tight sprint to the line. Miguel Ángel Varela and Pedro Alegre claimed victory with a time of 1 h 14 min 53 s, narrowly beating the competitive Hueva brothers from Murcia.
The 1983 Descent of the Sella proved that the race was not only growing in participant numbers but also in its level of competition and organisational sophistication, reinforcing its international prestige.
What happened in 1984? click here
tag: international descent of the river sella 1983
