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Pitești/Bascov is no stranger to major international canoeing events. The Romanian venue successfully hosted the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in 2021 and has previously welcomed some of the sport’s most important youth competitions, including the European Junior and Under 23 Canoe Sprint Championships and the ICF Junior and Under 23 Canoe Sprint World Championships. Its proven organisational expertise, excellent facilities and spectator-friendly course make it an ideal setting for Europe’s premier marathon event.

The championship week will begin even earlier with the European Masters Canoe Marathon Championships, which will take place from Sunday through Tuesday before the start of the main championship programme. This unique combination will bring together several generations of paddlers, from emerging talents to former international champions who continue to compete at the highest level within the Masters categories.

Paracanoe Marathon events will also form an important part of the programme, underlining Paddle Europe’s commitment to inclusion and providing Europe’s leading Paracanoe athletes with another opportunity to compete on the international stage.

In Senior Men’s K1, Great Britain's James Russell claimed the European title after one of the closest finishes of the championship, defeating Portugal’s José Ramalho by little more than a second, with Norway’s Jon Vold also finishing within striking distance. All three athletes are expected to be among the leading contenders once again in Romania. One of the biggest question marks ahead of the championships is whether Mads Brandt Pedersen will line up in Pitești or concentrate solely on the 5,000m sprint discipline. Should he decide to compete, his presence would significantly raise the level of competition and add further excitement to an already outstanding championship.

The Senior Women’s K1 race is likely to feature another chapter in the rivalry between Norway’s Anna Sletsjøe and Hungary’s legendary Vanda Kiszli. Sletsjøe claimed the 2025 European title, but Kiszli remains one of the most successful marathon paddlers of her generation and will undoubtedly target a return to the top step of the podium.

Portugal will once again arrive as one of the strongest nations in the championship. Fernando Pimenta dominated the Senior Men’s Short Race in Ponte de Lima before teaming up with José Ramalho to secure victory in the K2 Men Senior event. Their combination of speed, experience and tactical awareness will make them favourites for medals once again in Pitești.Pimenta is under a very busy season in Sprint, so we are not so sure he will attend thie year championships, speciall y with Canada hosting a Sprint World Cup just a few weeks later. 

The canoe events are also expected to produce intense competition. Spain’s Manuel Campos claimed the 2025 European title in C1 Men Senior, narrowly defeating Portugal’s Rui Lacerda in one of the closest races of the championships. Lacerda later partnered Ricardo Coelho to win the C2 Men Senior title, confirming Portugal’s strength in marathon canoeing.

The Junior and Under 23 categories are expected to be particularly exciting, with several athletes looking to build on their breakthrough performances from 2025.

Portugal’s Leonardo Barbosa enters the new season as the reigning European Junior Men’s C1 champion and will be one of the names to watch as he continues his development. Italy’s Leonardo Candela, winner of the Junior Men’s K1 title, has also established himself as one of Europe’s most promising young marathon paddlers.

In the women’s events, Spain’s Lucia Pizarro captured the Junior Women’s C1 title, while Hungary’s Lotti Jambor confirmed her status as one of the most talented young athletes in the sport by winning Junior Women’s K1 and adding silver in K2.

The Under 23 categories will feature defending champions such as Denmark’s Philip Knudsen and Pernille Hostrup in K1, while Hungary’s Mihaly Pluzsik and Lili Matkovics will be aiming to retain their European crowns in the canoe events.

Although several nations celebrated major victories in 2025, Hungary once again demonstrated its remarkable depth across all age groups. Multiple medals in Junior, Under 23 and Senior events confirmed the country’s position as one of the dominant forces in European marathon canoeing.

However, the growing strength of Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Great Britain, Norway and Italy suggests that the battle for overall supremacy in Pitești could be more open than ever before.

Paracanoe competition is expected to play a prominent role throughout the championship week. 

Paracanoe performances continue to demonstrate the increasing strength and competitiveness in Marathon racing.

With a venue that has already proven itself on the world stage, a passionate organising team and a course familiar to many of Europe’s leading paddlers, Bascov is perfectly positioned to deliver an unforgettable championship.