News

The semi-finals of the 2026 Paddle Europe Freestyle Championships delivered an afternoon of high drama, with qualification for the finals remaining uncertain until the very last rides of the day. Margins were incredibly tight across multiple categories, keeping athletes and spectators on edge while waiting for the final scores to be confirmed.

Adding to the excitement, the host nation Finland secured finalists in three different categories – a historic achievement for Finnish freestyle kayaking. Unlike the preliminary rounds, the feature proved more manageable, allowing athletes to paddle back into the wave after flushing. However, the powerful current still made recovery difficult, particularly for those flushing on the wrong side of the river. With only the river-right side offering a realistic route back to the feature, every second of the 45-second run window remained crucial.

The Men's C1 category opened the day, giving the canoe specialists their first opportunity to showcase their skills. The discipline started directly with the semi-finals and featured a full field of ten competitors. Several athletes compete exclusively in C1, and that dedication was clearly reflected in the quality of their performances.

France’s Tom Dolle, the reigning European Champion, secured first place in the semi-finals and earned the final ride position for tomorrow’s final. Fellow French paddler Abel Thenevet, eighth at the most recent World Championships, followed closely in second. Great Britain's Matthew Stephenson advanced in third place, although his day was bittersweet after narrowly missing qualification for the K1 final by just 26.66 points – a margin that seemed to appear repeatedly throughout the day.

Germany’s Sebastian Kurt Rudolf Nelle, bronze medallist at the last European Championships and fourth at the World Championships, claimed another finals berth. France’s Jean-Yves Moustrou, silver medallist at the previous Europeans and seventh in the world rankings, secured qualification on his final ride of the competition. His late surge pushed Ireland’s Eoghan Kelly, fourth at the European Championships in Graz, out of the qualification positions.

The Junior Women's K1 category also produced a thrilling battle for the finals. Germany’s Marie Dimke topped the rankings, while Finland’s Nea Rautio delighted the home crowd by qualifying in second place during her final season as a junior athlete. Ireland’s Mea Minchin secured third after successfully landing her McNasty combinations, finishing only 6.66 points ahead of Poland’s Linn Schaefer, whose creek boating background once again proved valuable on the demanding wave.

The final qualifying position went to Poland’s Maja Kawczynska, ensuring strong Polish representation in tomorrow’s finals.

In the Women's K1 category, Ireland’s Leah Hough continued to confirm her status as one of the sport’s brightest young talents. The reigning Junior European Champion posted more than 1,000 points from her two best runs to secure qualification in first place. After winning last year's Junior European title with an impressive score of 890 points, Hough continues to establish herself among the elite paddlers of the discipline.

Finland’s Taru Terni provided another highlight for the host nation, taking second place ahead of current European Vice Champion Zofia Tula by the narrowest of margins – just 26.67 points. Austria’s Jasmin Stangl-Brachnik produced one of the most dramatic performances of the day, climbing from eighth position into the top five with her final run. Her late charge pushed Finland’s Outi Lahti out of qualification by exactly the same 26.67-point margin.

Joining them in tomorrow’s final will be Great Britain's Isabella Wormall.

The Men's K1 semi-finals were equally captivating. Poland’s Tomasz Czaplicki, the reigning European Champion, secured first place with a superb final run after a relatively slow start to his campaign. Finland’s Visa Rahkola delighted local supporters by qualifying on his very last ride of the day – the final ride of the entire competition session – after briefly dropping to sixth position.

Ireland’s David McLure demonstrated his outstanding wave-riding skills to secure qualification, while France’s Tom Dolle once again showcased the quick and explosive tricks that helped earn him the current World Championship title. Poland’s Bartosz Czauderna, well known throughout the freestyle community for coaching countless athletes from the riverbank, proved that his expertise extends far beyond coaching, securing fifth place and another finals appearance.

After an intense day of competition, athletes can finally turn their attention to recovery before tomorrow’s decisive finals. Whether enjoying a well-earned sauna by the lake, taking a refreshing dip in the Finnish waters, squeezing in one final training session on the competition wave, or simply relaxing with friends, all eyes are now firmly set on championship day and the battle for the European titles.