Last year, the serene waters in front of Palma de Mallorca’s iconic Cathedral erupted with the thrilling energy of the inaugural Paddle Games Ciutat de Palma Trophy.

We’re incredibly proud of the foundation laid in 2024, and now, as we are just a week away from our second edition, we’re ready to amplify the excitement and make the Paddle Games even more inclusive and unpredictable.

While last year’s competition was exclusively invitation-based, for 2025, we’ve introduced a new exciting element: an open-entry qualifying race!

The top four women and top four men from this qualifying race will earn a coveted spot, forming two new mixed wildcard teams. These wildcard teams will then compete in the main event, going head-to-head with our six pre-established elite teams.

We believe this innovative change will inject a fresh layer of unpredictability and excitement into the event, while simultaneously offering aspiring paddlers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase their talent on a global stage. The qualification race will mirror the format of the elite races, ensuring consistent and fair competition.

Meet some of the paddling stars from the Open Category:

To give you a taste of the caliber of talent that graces the Paddle Games, let’s shine a spotlight on some of the remarkable athletes who exemplify the pinnacle of our sport – and who might just be part of our elite lineup!

Pauline Jagsch (GER) 🇩🇪

Pauline Jagsch, is a powerhouse in German Canoe Sprint. Her career is decorated with multiple international medals, and last year she clinched a magnificent Silver Medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the Women’s K-4 500m.

Roi Rodríguez (ESP) 🇪🇸

A returning competitor from last year’s Paddle Games, Roi Rodríguez is a seasoned Spanish Canoe Sprinter with an impressive international record. A highlight of his career includes a Gold Medal and World Record in the Men’s K-1 500m at the 2018 ICF World Cup in Szeged, along with multiple European Championship medals. At the World Championships in Milan Roi raced the K1 1000m final bravely. His experience and explosive power make him a constant threat.

Zsóka Csikós (HUN) 🇭🇺

Hungarian paddling sensation Zsóka Csikós has excelled across various canoeing disciplines, from sprint to marathon. Her trophy cabinet boasts an incredible number of medals at the 2025 World and European Sprint Championships and multiple medals at ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships. Zsóka’s versatility and endurance make her a formidable competitor in any race format.

There are also other impressive names like Mark Opavsky (HUN – K4 500m Silver Medallist at the 2025 World Championships), sprint and wild-water star Pauline Freslon (FRA), and many others.

We’re particularly thrilled to note that more women than men have entered the Open Category race! This truly highlights the inclusivity and attractiveness of this fresh format for women in our sport, and we are eager to continue fostering such engagement.

Here is the full list of all the OPEN CATEGORY competitors:

WOMEN

NAME	COUNTRY
ALMA RABINERSON ARANDA	ESP
BLANCA JAUME MUNAR	ESP
METKA VOLK STEFIC	SLO
PAULINE JAGSCH	GER
CLAUDIA VIDAL MORALES	ESP
FRESLON PAULINE	FRA
AINA PALMER JAUME	ESP
MARTA ROSSELO GARCIA	ESP
MARIA REUS AROLA	ESP
ZSÓKA CSIKÓS	HUN
CARLA VEY	ESP
SPELA FLEGO	SLO

MEN

NAME	COUNTRY
UROS GOJKOVIC	SLO
LLUC MATAS	ESP
ROI RODRIGUEZ HUERTAS	ESP
FREYER JULIAN	GER
MARK OPAVSZKY	HUN
MARC SANCHEZ VERCHILI	ESP
DION LOPEZ	ESP
JAIME SANTOS CRIADO-SORS	ESP