ICF Stand Up Paddling World Championships 2021

The countdown is on for the 2021 ICF SUP Worldchampionships. The SUP Community is looking forward to this event that shapes up to be the biggest SUP event of the year. We remember 2019 in China when the ICF proofed it self to the SUP Athletes of being a great organizer and host for a large SUP event. I am personally looking forward to be part of this in September. I will be there with the Stand Up Magazin to report from the races as well as commentating in together with Mathieu Astier from totalSUP. I am mostly excited that we will have a very big turn out from locals paddlers in eastern Europe whom I am looking forward to meet as well as having quite a big contingency of paddlers from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The list of participants is growing daily and as it looks like we will have a great turn out.

If you have not signed up yet you can still do so right here: https://entry.balaton2021.com

In the meanwhile we have the event schedule posted here for you.

Event schedule

7th September (Tuesday)

  • Access period starts
  • Accreditation desk opens

8th September (Wednesday)

  • Racecourse opens for training

9th September (Thursday)

  • Preliminary rounds for Sprint and Technical – open age group

10th September (Friday)

  • Long distance races in the morning
  • Sprint preliminary rounds in the afternoon

11th September (Saturday)

  • Sprint finals 10:00-11:30
  • Inflatable races 12:30
  • Technical preliminary races in the afternoon

12th September (Sunday)

  • Technical semi-finals in the morning
  • Technical finals 13:00-15:00
  • Closing Ceremony
  • Access period ends

List of events

Age groupEventGender
OpenTeam event
long distance
Men & women
Hard boards up to 14’ long
OpenTeam event
technical
Men & women
Hard boards up to 14’ long
JuniorTeam event
long distance
Boys & girls
Inflatable boards up to 12’6” long
JuniorTeam event
technical
Boys & girls
Inflatable boards up to 12’6” long
OpenSprint
technical
long distance
Men & women
Hard boards up to 14’ long
JuniorSprint
technical
long distance
Boys & girls
Inflatable boards up to 12’6” long
40+Sprint
technical
long distance
Men & women
Hard boards up to 14’ long
50+Sprint
technical
long distance
Men & women
Hard boards up to 14’ long
OpenInflatableMen & women
Inflatable boards up to 12’6” long

Prize money

A total of gross 30 000€ prize money will be divided between the Long Distance, Technical race and Sprint race only for open age group. The prize money will be equally split between men and women 50:50.

Course details

The races of the ICF SUP World Championships will be organised on the most frequented waterfront of BalatonfĂĽred, next to the Tagore promenade. The sprint (200 m) and technical (1000-1300 m) courses will be set up along the Tagore promenade. Technical race includes portages. The long distance races (10 km) of the 50+ and the Juniors and inflatable races (7 km) will cross the FĂĽred Bay of Lake Balaton in the direction of Tihany starting from the same location. Only the long distance race (17 km) of the open and the 40+ age group will start from the other side of the lake, from SiĂłfok, so the distance must be completed by crossing the lake, finishing also in BalatonfĂĽred. Course designs and distances may vary in case of bad weather conditions.

General conditions of the participation

The competition is run in compliance with the 2022 ICF SUP Rules, which are approved to be used as provisional rules for 2021 completed with the rules of the HOC specific on SUP races.

Range of participants

  • The competition is open to anyone who complies with the rules and regulations of the competition.
  • Membership to an ICF (International Canoe Federation) or ISA (International Surfing Association) National Federation is not a requirement to participate in the competition.
  • Each competitor is individually responsible for his / her own participation and the administrative duties related to his / her entry.
  • Registration and entries should be made individually at the following link https://entry.balaton2021.com
  • By registering and participating in the competition the participants assure at the same time their ability to swim at least 200 m without assistance and are comfortable paddling in open water.
  • If a competitor is under the age of 18, parental consent is required for participation.

Age group definition

  • The first year an athlete can compete in an ICF international competitions is the year of their 15th birthday.
  • The last year an athlete can compete in the junior age group is the year of their 18th birthday.
  • The masters’ age groups are defined by each discipline with a minimum age of 40 or 50 years. An athlete can compete in a masters (40+ and 50+) event in the year that they reach the lower limit of the age group.

Entry conditions

  • One athlete can race only at one (1) age group at Long distance, Sprint and Technical race. Athletes who are eligible to race at the U18, 40+ and 50+ age groups can enter the open age group if they wish. A competitor who enters at any open age group event/s (with the exception of the open inflatable event) cannot enter any of the U18, 40+ and 50+ age groups.
  • Athletes who are eligible to race at 50+ can race at 40+ age group for all events (except inflatable event)
  • Anyone can participate in the open inflatable category, regardless of their age group, if they have reached the age of 15.

Team events

If you wish to enter National Teams Events for Long Distance and Technical races, please contact your national canoe federation to enter you through SDP (Sports Data Platform). To be a part of a National Team you also need to complete your individual entry. You can email info@canoeicf.com for NF contacts. Deadline to enter for team event is 30th August, 2021.

Steps of entering team events

  • Make your individual entry at at the following link https://entry.balaton2021.com
  • Contact your National Canoe Federation
  • National Federation makes team entries through the SDP system

Team Events are not additional events, they are competitions between teams gaining points during the technical and long distance races. Individual and team results will be awarded separately.

Entry to Team Events is free, only the fee of the individual entry need to be paid.

Each NF can enter teams to:

  • Long distance: Open Men / Women, Junior Men / Women
  • Technical: Open Men / Women, Junior Men / Women
  • Teams can be up to four (4) athletes for the long distance. The top three (3) athletes scores will count towards team results.
  • Teams can be up to three (3) athletes for the technical race. All the three (3) athletes scores will count towards team results.
  • Those athletes will be part of the Open and Junior, men and women events for Long distance and Technical race.
  • Athletes from Masters can be part of those teams, but they must stay during the whole competition at Open age group.

Sport Nationality

  • The sport nationality of the athletes is determined by their nationality or country of their domicile.
  • An athlete may only represent one nation during the calendar year.

Medical aptitude

  • Each competitor is liable for their own health and fitness to be ready to compete in the races. Upon registering to the race, the participants give a declaration on their medical state as detailed in the General Terms and Conditions. The HOC does not take any responsibility for any harm to the health and the consequences thereof due to the participant’s medical state during the races.
  • All participants of the World Championships are strongly advised to take out a medical insurance.