With the ISA having the SUP World Championships in Denmark this year the spot light will be on Copenhagen. To amplify the event, the organizers are planning something like a SUP-MEGA-Event, trying to get 1000 paddlers on the water.
Copenhagen will be the SUP Capital of Europe during this time. Thanks to Casper Steinfath Denmark had the ISA Worlds already back in 2017 and now the event is back. We are looking forward to see the team selections of each country and how many other SUP enthusiasts will travel to Copenhagen to join the Festival.
This is the press release we just received from the organizers in Denmark:
Copenhagen SUP invites paddleboarders of all level to paddle during the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship
Together with the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship in Copenhagen, the mass participation event Copenhagen SUP will take place at the same course as the world championship, giving paddlers of all levels the opportunity to paddle through beautiful Copenhagen alongside SUP-loving peers.
From September 16-22, the best paddlers in the world will race for the world championship title during some thrilling and action-packed days for athletes and spectators alike. As if that was not already a good enough reason to visit Copenhagen this September, the organizers behind the event have additionally made it possible for everybody to paddle on the World Championship course with the side event Copenhagen SUP! The organizers expect up to 1000 participants on the water for Copenhagen SUP, possibly making it the biggest SUP event of the year.
So, whether you have just bought your first paddleboard, or consider yourself an experienced paddler, this event will be for you! As the event will be divided into the two categories Fun Explorer (5 km) and Pro explorer (10 km) your level of experience plays no role for participation. If you have a paddleboard, you are both able and welcome to join Copenhagen SUP in the category that suits you.
– We hope for a festive public celebration because everyone can participate, emphasizes Michael Lindberg, CEO of Surf SUP Denmark.
– Whether you have an expensive, professional hardboard or a more budget-friendly inflatable model, you can participate in Copenhagen SUP. You may stand, lie, or kneel on the board, although it’s a good idea to practice a bit over the summer! says Michael Lindberg. He also promises that there will be enough lifeguards in the water to look after the participants.
Paddle Festival of the Year
At the 2024 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championships, it is the ambition to include the public as much as possible and create memorable experiences for people of all ages. This vision has come together as Copenhagen Paddle Festival! At Copenhagen Paddle Festival you can cheer for the World Championship athletes, join the mass participation event Copenhagen SUP and engage yourself in different activities and entertainments on land.
Setting out from the heart of Copenhagen, at the impressive Black Diamond, the course will guide the athletes and participants through the beautiful canals of Christianshavn and past Christiansborg Castle. Along the course there will be music, sound experiences and light effects as the paddlers pass under the bridges of Copenhagen. The course will finish at the main square, Søren Kierkegaards Plads, which will be buzzing with that special surf vibe!
Copenhagen is the SUP Capital of Europe
It will be the second time that the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship is coming to Copenhagen, and that is no coincidence. With its well-known clean waters in both the harbor and the canals, that guides you around the charming city, the perfect scene is set for an extraordinary SUP World Championship. Additionally, Denmark is a pioneer when it comes to making elitist sport events available to the masses. It has been done with great success at both the World Half Marathon Championship in 2014 and before the start of the Tour de France in Denmark in 2022.
The City of Copenhagen supports both the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championships and Copenhagen SUP in order to give the people of Copenhagen a fantastic experience and to showcase the capital to a global audience.
– Copenhagen is known for having one of the cleanest harbors in the world and we have every reason to be proud of that. I hope that many – both locals and visitors from out of town – will participate, either from the water or on land, so that we can create a genuine festival together, says Mia Nyegaard, Mayor of Culture and Leisure
Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, who helped bring the SUP World Championship to the country and support its financial execution, is pleased:
– It’s unique for a small country like Denmark to get the ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship twice. The success of the event seven years ago is still vividly remembered worldwide. With the event Copenhagen SUP and 1,000 participants on the water, we add another chapter to the story of Denmark as a fantastic water sports nation and Copenhagen as the SUP capital of Europe, says Lars Lundov.
Facts:
·   Copenhagen SUP will take place on September 21st, in the morning, just hours before the elite SUP athletes race for the World Championship title on the same course. Â
·  Due to the large size of a SUP board the harbor only has the capacity to host 1000 participants. You can secure your spot at www.surfsup.dk
·  Copenhagen SUP is part of a big paddle festival that revolve around the World Championships. It will be the second time that a World SUP Championship takes place in Copenhagen. This time it will unfold from Monday the 16th of September in the Harbor of Copenhagen and at the Copenhagen beach, Amager Strandpark.Â
·   In 2017 the Danish SUP-superstar Casper Steinfath won the World Championship gold medal in 200-meter sprint in front of the Copenhagen Opera house!Â