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After an opening day dedicated to the Short Race format, the 2026 Paddle Europe Marathon Championships continue today in Bascov, Pitești, with the first major block of long distance races.

The programme brings together junior, under 23 and paracanoe events, with several of yesterday’s Short Race medallists returning to the water and a number of defending or former European medallists looking to make their mark over the longer distances.

The day begins at 09:00 with the K1 Women Junior race over 19.00 km. Hungary’s Lotti Jambor returns as one of the names to follow after winning this title in 2025 in Ponte de Lima, while Denmark’s Karen Andersen arrives with momentum after claiming the K1 Women Junior Short Race title yesterday. With athletes such as Caoilin Caffrey, Panka Zatyko, Ana Martinena and Alexandra Motovska also on the start list, the opening race should set the tone for a competitive day.

At 09:05, the C1 Men Under 23 field will also take on 19.00 km. Hungary’s Mihaly Pluzsik, the 2025 European champion in this event, is back on the start line and will be one of the main references. The race also includes athletes from Moldova, Spain and Ukraine, with the under 23 canoe category expected to deliver a strong tactical contest from the early laps.

The junior canoe races will follow from 11:00, starting with C1 Men Junior over 15.40 km. After the Short Race title went to Portugal’s Gabriel Fernandes on the opening day, today’s long distance race brings another opportunity for the junior canoeists to show their endurance and race management. Names such as Mateo Lago, Pawel Kups, Adam Lomberget and Oleksandr Onishchenko are among those expected to be in the fight.

At 11:05, the C1 Women Under 23 race will bring another strong field to the water. Hungary’s Lili Matkovics, winner of this event in 2025, returns to defend her title, with Tereza Kodetova, Agata Kowalak, Elena Glizan, Marina Chorna and others ready to challenge. This race is expected to be one of the key canoe battles of the morning session.

The middle of the day will be dedicated to paracanoe events. The KL3 Men and KL2 Men races are scheduled for 12:30, followed by the women’s VL events at 12:35. These races will add another important chapter to the Championships, with athletes competing across different classifications and distances.

The afternoon session returns to the under 23 and junior long distance programme. At 15:15, the K1 Women Under 23 race will be held over 22.60 km, with a field including Andrea Rodriguez, Nela Meszarosova, Alba Esteban, Sophie Dunlop, Sophie Hansen, Zsofia Szerafin, Caroline Fink, Beatrice Candela and Sara Andersen. With six laps, five portages and one small lap, this race will be one of the demanding tests of the day.

Five minutes later, at 15:20, the C1 Women Junior race will take place over 11.80 km. Ukraine’s Mariia Levkovska and Nikol Matnenko return after their one-two finish in yesterday’s Short Race final, while Hungary’s Zsofia Fodor and Eszter Hoffer, Italy’s Francesca Farinazzo and Spain’s Sara Grijalba and Clara Cuesta will also be part of the field. After Ukraine’s strong start to the Championships, this will be another race to watch closely.

The day will close with one of the biggest events on the programme: the K1 Men Under 23 race at 17:20. Over 26.20 km, with seven laps and six portages, this race will be the longest and most physically demanding of the day. Francisco dos Santos of Portugal and Izan Aliaga of Spain, both podium finishers in 2025, return to the start list, while Csanad Sellyei, Filip Jahoda, William Short, Igor Wyszkowski, Tristan Meersmans and others add further depth to a very strong field.

With titles on the line from the first race of the morning until the final event of the evening, today’s programme promises a full day of tactical racing, decisive portages and intense battles for European medals in Bascov.

Today’s Schedule Highlights

09:00 – K1 Women Junior
09:05 – C1 Men Under 23
11:00 – C1 Men Junior
11:05 – C1 Women Under 23
12:30 – Paracanoe KL3 Men / KL2 Men
12:35 – Paracanoe VL3 Women / VL2 Women / VL1 Women
15:15 – K1 Women Under 23
15:20 – C1 Women Junior
17:20 – K1 Men Under 23