The Spaniard will be in charge of all marketing activities over the next Olympic cycle, leading up to Tokyo 2020.

He has been tasked with what the ECA describe as an "ambitious project" to improve the future of canoeing in Europe.

His work will be closely connected with the 25th anniversary celebrations of the governing body next year.

The ECA was founded on December 11, 1993, in Italian capital Rome.

Forty-seven-year-old Prendes previously served as the coordinator for the Royal Spanish Canoe Federation's (REFP) "Los 16 de Brasil 2016" project.

This built-up to August's Rio 2016 Olympic Games where Spanish canoeists won four medals, including three golds.

Maialen Chourraut won the women's K1 slalom title with sprinter Marcus Walz claiming the K1 1,000 metres crown.

Saúl Craviotto and Cristian Toro teamed up to win sprint gold in the K2 200m event.

Canoeing was Spain's most successful sport at the Games in the Brazilian city. 

Prendes worked with the RFEP as communications manager for 12 years, and was previously press officer for the Galician Canoe Federation.

"He will now give voice to a newly established ECA marketing office with an objective to build a firm future of the ECA," an ECA statement said.