Agios Nikolaos in Crete will host two major SUP competitions across six days, with the Paddle Europe SUP Championships taking place from 18–20 September, followed by the ICF SUP World Cup from 20–23 September, with more than 220 athletes confirmed for the week.
The European Championships will take place from 18–20 September, with European titles contested across Sprint, Technical and Long Distance racing. The ICF World Cup will follow from 20–23 September, bringing additional international athletes into the competition.
The two events will share the Long Distance race, with separate rankings produced for eligible European Championship competitors and the wider international field.
According to an analysis of the current registration list published by Stand Up Magazin, 226 athletes were entered across 26 national or federation designations as of 31 August. Greece accounted for the largest contingent, with 126 registered paddlers.
The event will be only the second edition of the Paddle Europe SUP Championships. The inaugural championships were held in Szeged, Hungary, in 2024 as part of the combined European Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe Championships.
Agios Nikolaos has developed into an established venue on the international SUP calendar, previously hosting ICF World Cup and ranking events along the coastline of eastern Crete.
A combined €12,000 prize purse is listed for the 2026 event, which will also be broadcast via a live stream.