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The 2026 ICF Wildwater Canoeing World Cup reached its final stages in Mezzana, Italy, with World Cup V and VI bringing together the Classic and Sprint races on the Noce River. The Italian venue closed the international series with a strong field and, once again, a clear message from the results: Europe remains the dominant force in wildwater canoeing.

Across the Mezzana programme, there were 256 race starts across the Classic and Sprint events. European nations accounted for 238 of them, representing 93.0% of the total participation, while countries from outside Europe represented 18 starts. In terms of nations represented, 13 of the 16 countries were European, with Australia, Brazil and the United States forming the non-European contingent.

That European dominance was even clearer in the results. European athletes and crews won every single category contested in Mezzana, both in Classic and Sprint. In the Classic races, Cecilia Panato of Italy won both K1 Women and C1 Women, Theo Viens gave France victory in C1 Men, and Braim Vandecasteele led a Belgian sweep of the K1 Men podium. France also won C2 Men with Nicolas Sauteur and Theo Viens, while Switzerland took the C2 Women title through Mona Clavadetscher and Hannah Mueller.

The Sprint races confirmed the same trend. Luisa Puttkammer of Germany and Kristina Novosadova of Czechia shared victory in K1 Women with exactly the same time, while Nicolas Sauteur won C1 Men for France, Nejc Žnidarčič took the K1 Men win for Slovenia, and Cecilia Panato added another victory for Italy in C1 Women. France also finished the sprint programme strongly, winning both C2 Men and C2 Women.

In total, Europe won all 12 race categories in Mezzana and occupied all 36 podium positions across the Classic and Sprint events. The closest challenge from outside Europe came mainly from Brazil, the United States and Australia, with Brazil particularly visible in the women’s canoe events and C2 Women. However, the podium fight remained entirely European.

The final World Cup standings reinforced that dominance. European athletes and crews topped all six overall rankings: Nejc Žnidarčič of Slovenia in Men’s K1, Cecilia Panato of Italy in Women’s K1 and Women’s C1, Charles Ferrion of France in Men’s C1, Cornel Bretscher and Jonah Muller of Switzerland in Men’s C2, and Clara Gaubert and Elsa Gaubert of France in Women’s C2. Europe also filled all 18 top-three places in the final World Cup rankings.

Looking at the full World Cup ranking lists, European representation also remained overwhelming: 214 of the 235 ranked entries came from European nations, equal to 91.1% of the total. The rest of the world contributed 21 ranked entries, with Brazil, the United States, Australia, Chile, India, Mongolia, Kenya, Argentina and South Africa represented in the final tables. The strongest non-European ranking result came from Brazil in Women’s C2, where the crew of Milena Sofia and Daniela Sofia finished fifth overall.

Mezzana therefore closed the 2026 World Cup season with a clear European statement: high participation, complete control of the podiums, and leadership in every final ranking. The rest of the world continues to grow its presence, but in 2026 the Wildwater World Cup remained firmly in European hands.

Full results available here.