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From May to September, Europe’s paddlers will compete for continental honours across  Slalom, Sprint, Paracanoe,  Marathon, Wildwater and Canoe Polo, while Sprint will also feature on the programme of two major European multi-sport events – the European Games and the European Youth Olympic Festival.

The calendar combines some of European canoeing’s most established venues, including Krakow and Tacen, with new destinations such as Mirandela, while also reconnecting the sport with important chapters of its past.

Krakow begins the major Championships season

The first major Paddle Europe Championship of 2027 will take place in Krakow, Poland, from 20 to 23 May, when Europe’s leading canoe slalom athletes return to the Krakow-Kolna course for the 2027 Paddle Europe Slalom Championships.

Krakow has become one of the most established venues on the international slalom calendar and will once again welcome the continent’s best senior paddlers for four days of competition.

The city has previously hosted the Senior European Championships in 2008, 2013 and 2023, meaning that the 2027 edition will be the fourth Senior European Championships staged in Krakow.

Its international history extends well beyond the senior event. Krakow has also hosted four Junior and U23 World Championships – in 2016, 2019, 2023 and 2026 – as well as six Junior and U23 European Championships, in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2015, 2020 and 2024.

In total, the city had already staged 13 major Senior or Junior and U23 international championships before 2027, highlighting its long-standing connection with the discipline. The Krakow-Kolna course has also regularly hosted World Cup racing and was part of the canoe slalom programme of the Krakow-Małopolska 2023 European Games.

A new Portuguese home for the Marathon Europeans

Shortly afterwards, attention will turn to Portugal, where Mirandela will host the 2027 Paddle Europe Marathon Championships from 31 May to 6 June.

Mirandela represents a new destination for the European Championships, while continuing Portugal’s strong tradition of hosting major international Canoe Marathon events.

Portugal previously welcomed the European Championships in 2013, 2017 and 2025, with events staged in Prado and Ponte de Lima. Mirandela 2027 will therefore mark the fourth time Portugal hosts the Canoe Marathon European Championships, but at a new venue.

Situated in the north of Portugal and crossed by the Tua River, Mirandela will offer a new setting for Europe’s marathon community and another opportunity to develop the Championships in a country with a strong connection to the discipline.

Across seven days of competition, the Championships will once again bring together different generations of European marathon paddlers and some of the continent’s leading specialists.

New host to be announced for the Sprint Championships

The 2027 Paddle Europe Paracanoe, Junior & U23 and Masters Sprint Championships are scheduled to take place from 10 to 13 June.

The Championships were originally allocated to Serbia. However, following Serbia’s withdrawal as organiser, Paddle Europe is currently working to secure a new host and venue.

The competition remains scheduled for 10–13 June, with the new location to be announced soon.

The combined Championships will bring together three important pillars of Paddle Europe’s Sprint programme: Europe’s leading Junior and Under 23 athletes, paracanoe competitors and the Masters community.

Four days of racing will once again connect different generations and areas of the European paddling community in one major event.

Wildwater returns to Italy

From 23 to 27 June, the focus will move to Mezzana, Italy, for the 2027 Paddle Europe Wildwater Championships.

Located in Val di Sole and surrounded by the Italian Alps, Mezzana offers the very different environment that defines Wildwater competition, with athletes racing in natural river conditions.

Italy has a long tradition in wildwater canoeing, and the return of a major European championship to Mezzana will provide a spectacular setting for Europe’s leading specialists.

Five days of competition will decide the continental titles and bring another major international canoeing event to the region.

Canoe Sprint returns to the European Games

At almost the same time, Canoe Sprint will take its place on one of the continent’s biggest multi-sport stages, with the European Games in Istanbul, Türkiye, scheduled to feature Canoe Sprint competition from 24 to 26 June.

Canoe Sprint has been part of the European Games since the very beginning.

The discipline featured at the inaugural Games in Baku in 2015, returned at Minsk 2019 and was once again included at Krakow-Małopolska 2023.

The 2023 Games also represented an important expansion of canoeing within the European Games programme, with Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross joining the competition alongside Canoe Sprint.

Istanbul 2027 will therefore continue an uninterrupted Canoe Sprint presence at the European Games, with the discipline featuring at the fourth edition of the continent’s major senior multi-sport competition.

A new chapter for Tacen

The European Slalom programme will continue from 30 June to 4 July, when Tacen – Ljubljana, Slovenia, welcomes the 2027 Paddle Europe Junior & U23 Slalom Championships.

Few venues have a stronger connection with international canoe slalom.

The famous course on the Sava River has hosted three Senior World Championships, in 1955, 1991 and 2010, as well as three Senior European Championships, in 2005, 2017 and most recently 2024.

Tacen also hosted the Junior and U23 World Championships in 2021.

Despite this extensive history, one major event is still missing from the venue’s record: Tacen has never previously hosted the Junior and U23 European Championships.

That will change in 2027.

For five days, Europe’s best young slalom athletes will compete at one of the discipline’s most recognisable venues, adding another chapter to Tacen’s long international history.

Lignano 2027 connects two generations of young paddlers

Later in the summer, Canoe Sprint will return to the European Youth Olympic Festival, with racing scheduled in Lignano, Italy, from 27 to 29 July.

For European canoeing, the location gives the 2027 event particular significance.

Lignano already hosted the Summer EYOF in 2005, when canoeing formed part of a programme featuring 11 sports and athletes from 48 European nations.

Among the young paddlers competing there was a name that would become synonymous with European Canoe Sprint: Fernando Pimenta.

The Portuguese paddler was part of the K4 crew that won gold for Portugal at Lignano 2005. More than two decades later, his career has included Olympic medals and major World and European Championship successes, providing a striking example of the pathway from youth competition to the highest levels of the sport.

Other young athletes from that period would also go on to compete successfully at senior international level.

Canoe Sprint later returned to the European Youth Olympic Festival at Győr 2017, where canoeing was one of the ten sports on the programme and competitors from 33 European countries took part in the canoe sprint competition.

Canoeing’s place within the EYOF has continued to evolve since then. At Skopje 2025, Canoe Slalom made its first appearance on the Festival programme.

The return to Lignano in 2027, 22 years after the 2005 edition, therefore creates a special connection between generations.

Some of the young paddlers lining up in Lignano next July may be taking the same early steps on the international stage that future Olympic, World and European medallists took at the same event more than two decades earlier.

Thury-Harcourt to host Europe’s Canoe Polo nations

The major Paddle Europe Championships programme will continue into September, when Thury-Harcourt, France, hosts the 2027 Paddle Europe Canoe Polo Championships from 20 to 26 September.

Thury-Harcourt is a familiar name within international Canoe Polo and has a strong history of hosting major competitions in the discipline.

The French venue previously hosted the Canoe Polo European Championships in 2007, meaning that the continental championships will return to Thury-Harcourt exactly 20 years later in 2027.

The venue has also staged competition at the highest international level, including the 2014 ICF Canoe Polo World Championships, reinforcing its long-standing connection with the sport.

Two decades after the 2007 European Championships, Europe’s leading national teams will therefore return to Thury-Harcourt to compete once again for the continental titles.

Seven days of competition will provide a fitting conclusion to the announced Paddle Europe major Championships programme for 2027.

2027 Paddle Europe major events calendar

From established venues with decades of international history to new hosts and the return to locations connected with previous generations of European champions, 2027 promises another diverse season for European canoeing.

Krakow and Tacen will add new chapters to their long Slalom histories, Mirandela will become the latest Portuguese venue to host the Marathon Europeans, Thury-Harcourt will once again welcome international Canoe Polo, while Istanbul and Lignano will place Canoe Sprint on two of Europe’s most important multi-sport stages.

And with a new host for the Paracanoe, Junior & U23 and Masters Sprint Championships still to be announced, another destination will soon be added to the 2027 Paddle Europe map.

Further details on each competition, including event bulletins, entry information and detailed programmes, will be published as preparations for the 2027 season continue.