After the opening Short Race day, the focus moved to longer distances, tactical group racing and decisive portages. The day also produced an interesting comparison with the 2025 European champions, with only one athlete able to successfully defend a title.
The Under 23 categories were among the main highlights of the day, with Hungary enjoying a particularly strong performance.
In C1 Men Under 23, Mihaly Pluzsik confirmed his status as one of the leading young canoe marathon athletes in Europe. The Hungarian paddler successfully defended the European title he won in Ponte de Lima in 2025, taking victory in 1:33:22.17. Portugal’s Leonardo Barbosa, last year’s C1 Men Junior European champion, delivered a strong performance to take silver in 1:33:59.80, while Poland’s Eryk Wilga completed the podium in 1:34:32.46.
Hungary also celebrated in C1 Women Under 23, where Zagyvai Borka became the new European champion. She won the 11.80 km race in 1:02:43.49, ahead of teammate and 2025 European champion Lili Matkovics, who finished second, only 10.63 seconds behind. Ukraine’s Anastasiia Dezhytska took bronze in 1:03:47.57. Although Matkovics was unable to defend her title, Hungary still secured a one-two finish in the category.
The K1 Women Under 23 race delivered one of the closest finishes of the day. Hungary’s Zsofia Szerafin claimed the European title in 1:52:18.11, just 2.74 seconds ahead of Spain’s Alba Esteban. Denmark’s Sophie Hansen took bronze, only 4.26 seconds behind the winner. With 2025 European champion Pernille Hostrup not retaining the title, Szerafin became the new champion in a race decided by very small margins after more than 22 kilometres.
The day closed with the demanding K1 Men Under 23 race over 26.20 km, where Hungary completed an impressive under 23 campaign. Csanad Sellyei won the European title in 1:47:30.92, ahead of Spain’s Izan Aliaga and Norway’s Ivar Buch. Aliaga, who had already been on the podium in 2025, moved one step higher this year, while 2025 champion Philip Knudsen did not retain the title. Sellyei’s victory gave Hungary another major result in the under 23 programme.
The junior races also produced new European champions.
In K1 Women Junior, Great Britain’s Dianora De Bilio won one of the tightest races of the day, finishing in 1:33:24.81. Ireland’s Caoilin Caffrey was second, only 0.77 seconds behind, while Hungary’s Panka Zatyko took bronze, 1.76 seconds behind the winner. The 2025 champion, Hungary’s Lotti Jambor, finished fifth, meaning the title changed hands in 2026.
Spain celebrated in C1 Men Junior, where Mateo Lago became European champion after a strong performance over 15.40 km. Lago won in 1:16:33.60, ahead of Portugal’s Gabriel Fernandes and Romania’s Eduard Stoian. The title had been won in 2025 by Portugal’s Leonardo Barbosa, making Lago another new European champion in Bascov.
Italy also joined the list of winning nations through Sofia Postolachi in C1 Women Junior. Postolachi claimed the European title in 1:07:02.64, ahead of Hungary’s Zsofia Fodor and Ukraine’s Mariia Levkovska. The 2025 title had belonged to Spain’s Lucia Pizarro, so this category also produced a new champion.
Overall, the day showed the depth of Europe’s junior and under 23 marathon fields. Hungary was one of the standout nations, winning C1 Men Under 23, C1 Women Under 23, K1 Women Under 23 and K1 Men Under 23. Spain, Great Britain and Italy also claimed European titles, while Portugal, Ireland, Ukraine, Denmark, Poland, Romania and Norway reached the podium.
European Champions of the Day
K1 Women Junior: Dianora De Bilio, Great Britain
C1 Men Under 23: Mihaly Pluzsik, Hungary
C1 Men Junior: Mateo Lago, Spain
C1 Women Under 23: Zagyvai Borka, Hungary
K1 Women Under 23: Zsofia Szerafin, Hungary
C1 Women Junior: Sofia Postolachi, Italy
K1 Men Under 23: Csanad Sellyei, Hungary
Mihaly Pluzsik was the only athlete to successfully defend a 2025 European title today. All other titles decided today changed hands, with new European champions crowned in K1 Women Junior, C1 Men Junior, C1 Women Under 23, K1 Women Under 23, C1 Women Junior and K1 Men Under 23.
With another full day of European titles decided in Bascov, the 2026 Paddle Europe Marathon Championships continue to deliver close finishes, tactical racing and strong performances across the younger categories.
26.6.2026
