News

Nearly 300 athletes have travelled to Brittany for the championships, with 286 competitors from 15 European nations entered across the program. Following the final validation of entries, 10 events currently meet the requirements for the award of a European title, based on the minimum participation of five nations in each category.

The main SS1 competition will take place on Thursday, 27 August, over a course of approximately 23 kilometres, while the official SS2 Mixed races are scheduled for Saturday, 29 August, on a different course yet to be disclosed.

The championship program was designed around the particular demands of Ocean Racing, with Brest providing access to a large variety of possible courses and conditions along the Brittany coast. The event village is based at Moulin Blanc Marina, while the wider competition area allows organisers to adapt racing to wind, swell, currents and weather conditions. The final course will be presented tomorrow morning by the OC.

Ten European titles confirmed

Following the closing of entries and the validation of the number of nations represented in each category, the championship currently features 10 events eligible for European titles.

In SS1, European titles will be awarded in Senior Men, Senior Women, U23 Men, U23 Women, Junior Men, Junior Women, Master Men 45–54 and Master Men 55–64.

The SS2 program will add two further titles, with Senior Mixed and Junior Mixed completing the list of championship events that have reached the required minimum of five participating nations.

Several other categories are included in the event program but have not reached the minimum number of nations required for European Championship title status.

The official information bulletin lists Senior, U23, Junior, Masters and Paracanoe SS1 categories, together with the Mixed SS2 events, among the categories potentially eligible for a European title. The final championship status, however, depends on the number of nations actually entered in each event when the final start list is published.

SS1 takes centre stage on Thursday

Thursday’s SS1 program will provide the main individual test of the championships and bring together several of Europe’s leading Ocean Racing athletes.

Among the headline names already confirmed are reigning World and European champions and medallists from the last two seasons.

France’s Pierre Vilella, the 2025 Senior Men’s World Champion, will be among the leading contenders, while defending European champion Hector Henot and 2024 European silver medallist Walter Bouzan are also expected to line up.

The Senior Women’s field includes defending European champion Judit Verges, Portugal’s Sara Sotero and France’s Thaïs Delrieux, while the U23 categories feature current World Champions Bernardo Pereira of Portugal and Rosie Edwards of Great Britain.

The Junior field also contains major international names, including reigning U18 World Champion Andrea Jimenez Colmard of Spain.

Mixed SS2 titles to be decided on Saturday

After the individual SS1 races, attention will turn to the double surfski competition on Saturday, 29 August.

The Senior Mixed SS2 and Junior Mixed SS2 races have both reached the required level of international participation and will therefore award European titles.

The Mixed format will add a different tactical dimension to the championships, with crews needing to combine speed, boat handling and coordination in the demanding Ocean Racing conditions off Brest.

Start list expected soon

With the championship entering its final preparation phase, the official start list is expected to become available shortly, as well as the platform for the online results.

Its publication will provide the final racing order and confirm the complete line-up for Thursday’s SS1 races, offering a clearer picture of the battles ahead across the Senior, U23, Junior and Masters categories.

The championships officially run from 26 to 30 August, with the opening ceremony scheduled for Wednesday before competition begins. The official program places the main racing period between 27 and 29 August.