News

After the deadline of entries last night and according to the current entry lists, the Championships will bring together 597 athletes representing 39 delegations, placing the event just one delegation short of the all-time European participation record of 40, previously reached at the European Championships in Brandenburg (2014) and Belgrade (2018).

The figures once again reinforce Montemor-o-Velho's position as one of Europe's leading canoeing venues and demonstrate the continued growth and strength of both Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe throughout the continent.

In total, National Federations have registered more than 750 delegation members, including athletes, coaches, team leaders, medical staff and officials. When organisers, volunteers, media representatives, technical personnel and international officials are included, the Championships are expected to gather close to 1,000 accredited participants throughout the event period.

The Canoe Sprint Championships alone have attracted 363 athletes, generating 381 boat entries across Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines,plus more than 130 masters.

Among the largest delegations entered are Spain and Hungary with 27 athletes each, followed by Poland, Germany, Portugal, Czechia, Ukraine and Italy. The depth of entries across all categories promises one of the most competitive European Championships of recent years.

Paracanoe participation has also reached outstanding levels, with 104 athletes from 19 nations and 115 boat entries registered for the Championships.

More than one in every five athletes competing in Montemor-o-Velho will be a Paracanoe athlete, highlighting the growing importance of the discipline within the European canoeing family and Paddle Europe's commitment to inclusive sport.

The strongest participation can be found in KL3 Men (16 boats) and VL3 Men (15 boats), while both KL3 Women and VL3 Women have attracted 12 entries each.

The entry lists include some of Europe's leading Paralympic, World and European medallists, ensuring high-quality competition across all classifications and confirming the event as one of the strongest European Paracanoe Championships in recent years.

The scale of the Championships extends far beyond the competition itself.

The event will rely on an extensive workforce that includes 18 International Technical Officials (ITOs) appointed by Paddle Europe, 4 National Technical Officials (NTOs), as well as dozens of volunteers and service providers and staff members involved in the delivery of the Championships.

The Portuguese Canoe Federation and Canoe Portugal have assembled a core operational team of approximately 160 people working directly on the preparation and organisation of the event.

This summer's Championships will also mark the 10th major international canoeing championship hosted at the Montemor-o-Velho High Performance Centre, a milestone that further strengthens the venue's reputation as one of the premier canoeing destinations in Europe.

The Championships represent a significant investment in both Portuguese sport and the local region.

The direct operational budget of the event is close to €1 million, while more than €3 million have been invested in the reconstruction and improvement of the High Performance Centre following the severe floods and storms that affected the venue during January and February.

The works have restored and upgraded key infrastructures throughout the venue, ensuring world-class conditions for athletes, teams and spectators while creating a lasting legacy for future generations of paddlers and international events.

It should be noted that all participation figures remain provisional and are based on the current entries submitted by the National Federations.

The numbers presented do not yet include participants competing in the IIRaces programme organised within the framework of the Special Olympics activities, which will take place alongside the Championships. Final participation figures are therefore expected to exceed the current totals, further strengthening the scale and inclusivity of the event.