Zurich Joins the 2026 European SUP League Tour
The European SUP League has announced its 2026 schedule, and Switzerland is included as one of the upcoming tour stops. Zurich will host an international SUP race — something that has happened only a handful of times in the country. The last major event took place in 2021, when the ICE Race in Thun was held as an ICF World Cup that drew strong participation and public interest. Since then, Switzerland has been largely absent from the global SUP calendar.
SUP History in Zurich
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SUP arrived in Zurich, this video was taken in 2009 at the Freestyle.ch – The Stand Up Magazin was not born yet, but the spark set off the fire.
SUP was presented at one of the largest freestyle events and pioneers participated in an exhibit SUP Race.
Individual athletes, such as Anna Tschirky, briefly brought Switzerland into international focus with notable podium finishes at the EURO TOUR and at the ISA and ICF World Championships. Her early retirement, along with reduced race activity nationally, contributed to a quieter phase for the Swiss SUP community in recent years.
This may shift in 2026 thanks to Florian Gander, founder and operator of SUP Kultur in Zurich. As the owner of several SUP rental stations and the organizer of the annual Big Paddle from Zurich to Richterswil, Florian has been a very active figure in the local SUP scene. Under his direction, SUP Kultur has grown into a consistent presence on Lake Zurich, offering rentals, courses, events, and community activities at multiple lakefront locations.
Florian is now working to bring the ESL to Zurich — a project that requires significant coordination, funding, and adherence to the league’s standards, including hosting fees, prize money, and media production.
In 2011 Indiana Paddleboards started to be very active in Zurich and Switzerland as one of the local pioneer brands.
Since then Indiana as morphed into an international brand and is now at the forefront of foiling.
Foto: Summer 2011 – Team Paddle Race Event
For paddlers in Switzerland, the ESL stop would represent a rare opportunity to see elite athletes compete on local waters. More detailed information about the event, its course layout, and schedule will be released as soon as the organizational steps are completed.
The return of a major SUP event to Switzerland is not yet final — but it is closer than it has been in years. Further updates will follow as new information becomes available. How knows, maybe even the Stand Up Magazin will be returning to its hometown to cover the event.