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15.10.2026
The 2026 Paddle Worldwide Stand Up Paddling World Championships have officially begun in Sabaudia, Italy, bringing together a record number of athletes from across the globe. From 14 to 18 October, the Italian venue will host five days of international competition, with Europe's leading paddlers looking to build on their recent success at the Paddle Europe Championships in Agios Nikolaos, Greece.
According to the figures announced by Paddle Worldwide, 934 athletes representing 59 nations have entered the championships, setting a new participation record for the event.
Europe is strongly represented in Sabaudia. An analysis of the published start lists for Sprint, Technical Race, Long Distance and Inflatable identifies at least 640 individual European athletes from 30 countries across these four disciplines.
Italy, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Germany and France are among the largest European delegations, reflecting the growing strength and reach of Stand Up Paddling across the continent.
Less than a month after the 2026 Paddle Europe Stand Up Paddling Championships in Agios Nikolaos, several newly crowned European champions have returned to competition, this time targeting world honours.
Italy's Cecilia Pampinella is among the leading European names in Sabaudia following an outstanding performance in Greece, where she secured all three Open Women's European titles in Sprint, Technical Race and Long Distance.
The Italian athlete will be competing on home waters, looking to carry that remarkable form into the World Championships.
Romania's Matei Barbu is another athlete to watch. The reigning Open Men's European Sprint champion, who won the continental title in Agios Nikolaos despite being eligible for the Junior category, is among the competitors listed for Sabaudia.
Denmark's Christian Andersen also arrives as a double European champion, having secured both the Open Men's Technical Race and Long Distance titles in Greece.
Portugal's Lourenço Viveiros, who dominated the Junior Men's Sprint and Technical Race competitions at the European Championships, will also be in action. His performances in Agios Nikolaos established him as one of Europe's outstanding young paddlers.
The European challenge extends well beyond the Open categories.
Italy's Sveva Sabato, winner of the Junior Women's Technical Race and Long Distance European titles, is entered in Sabaudia, alongside Germany's Benyam Bossack, the reigning Junior Men's European Long Distance champion.
Among the Masters athletes, Greece's Penny Tsaoutou arrives following a perfect European Championships, where she collected three titles in the Masters 50+ Women's category.
Romania's Gabriel Culea, Germany's Martin Teichmann and Greece's George Fragkos are also among the European champions appearing on the World Championships start lists.
Their presence highlights the depth of European competition across different age groups and reinforces the continent's ambitions on the world stage.
The championships opened on Wednesday, 14 October, with the first rounds of the 100-metre Sprint competition, one of the fastest and most explosive disciplines in Stand Up Paddling.
Over the following days, attention will turn to Technical Race, where athletes must combine speed with precise manoeuvring around a buoy-marked course, and Long Distance, which tests endurance, racing strategy and the ability to adapt to conditions.
The programme also features Inflatable SUP racing, adding another dimension to the international competition.
The championships will bring together established world-class athletes and emerging talent, with Junior, Open and Masters competitors all seeking success in Sabaudia.
Following the successful Paddle Europe Championships in Agios Nikolaos, Sabaudia provides another important opportunity to assess the progress of European Stand Up Paddling against the strongest athletes from the rest of the world.
With multiple reigning continental champions on the start lists and substantial European participation across all age groups, the continent will be looking to translate its recent performances into medals on the world stage.
The Paddle Europe Championships demonstrated the depth and competitive quality of European SUP. Over the next five days, the attention turns to Sabaudia, where Europe's leading paddlers will seek to make their mark on the 2026 World Championships.
© 2021 ECA
