2026 ICF SUP World Championships: Sabaudia prepares for the world elite

The first official information about the 2026 ICF Stand Up Paddling World Championships has been released. From October 14 to 18, 2026, the international SUP elite will meet in Sabaudia, Italy, where world championship titles will be awarded in the Sprint, Technical and Long Distance disciplines. The first official bulletin from the International Canoe Federation (ICF) now provides a first insight into the venue, schedule and race formats.

Sabaudia: World Championships in Italy’s SUP stronghold

The venue for the 2026 ICF SUP World Championships is Sabaudia, a coastal town around 90 kilometers south of Rome in the Lazio region. The location has long been a well-known training and competition center among paddlers and is nestled between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Circeo National Park. The heart of the event will be Lago di Paola – a protected lagoon that has been used for international canoeing and paddling events for years. The combination of shallow water, sheltered conditions and a Mediterranean backdrop should provide ideal conditions for exciting races.

In its bulletin, the ICF particularly emphasizes that Sabaudia offers optimal conditions for both sprint races and long-distance formats. At the same time, its proximity to Rome and the international airports makes it comparatively easy for teams from all over the world to get there.

These disciplines are on the program

As in previous years, the three core disciplines of modern SUP racing form the heart of the World Championships:

Sprint Race

This is where raw speed counts. The sprint races are held on a straight 100-meter track, with athletes competing against each other in parallel. Acceleration, explosive starts and maximum power decide who wins or loses.

Technical Race

The Technical Race remains the most spectacular discipline of the World Championships. According to the bulletin, the course covers around 1,000 meters and includes several buoy turns as well as entries and exits on the beach. Board handling, tactics and quick changes of direction play a central role here.

Long Distance

The long-distance races are traditionally regarded as the supreme discipline of the SUP World Championships. A course of around 12 kilometers is planned, spread over several laps. Endurance, strategy and racing intelligence are decisive here. The question of whether the races will take place in sheltered lagoon conditions or partly in the open sea will be particularly exciting – the first bulletin does not yet provide any definitive information on this.

More than just elite racing

The ICF is once again focusing on a broad event program in 2026. In addition to the classic Open, Junior and Masters categories on 14-foot hardboards, there will be additional formats:

• Inflatable SUP Race
• Foil Sprint Race
• Kids Races (U12 to U15)
• Fun Race, open for SUPs, kayaks and canoes

The ICF is thus continuing its efforts to combine elite sport and popular sport and to position the World Championships as a major international paddling festival.

The provisional schedule for the 2026 SUP World Championships

Even if detailed heat plans and times are still missing, the bulletin already provides an overview of the planned competition days:

The long distance at the end on Sunday follows the classic format of previous ICF World Championships and should once again be one of the highlights of the week.

First impressions: Protected conditions instead of Open Ocean?

For international teams, however, the location offers clear advantages: short distances, good weather in the Italian fall and a central location in Europe. Temperatures between 21-22°C air temperature and water temperatures around 22°C also promise almost perfect racing conditions.

With the first bulletin, the countdown to the most important ICF SUP event of 2026 officially begins. Further details on courses, start lists, prize money and the final schedule will follow in the coming months.

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