The Paddle Games is heading north.

On 18 July 2026, elite kayakers from Denmark and across Europe will race in the heart of Copenhagen — a sprint event built for speed, built for the city, and built for the kind of atmosphere that only urban water racing can produce.

This is what the Paddle Games Phase Two looks like in practice. Not just one event in one place, but a format that travels — that finds the most extraordinary settings a city has to offer and puts world-class racing right in the middle of them. Copenhagen is exactly that kind of city. Its waterways are part of its identity, and on 18 July, they will be part of ours too.

The venue will be announced shortly. What we can say is that it sits in the city centre, close to the water and close to the people. Exactly where this sport belongs.

The start list is still taking shape, but we expect some of the biggest names from the Nordic countries to line up. Scandinavian paddling has produced world-class athletes for decades, and bringing that talent home — onto their own water, in front of their own crowd — is a prospect that genuinely excites us.

One more thing worth noting: the 18th of July is the eve of the World Cup final. The biggest sporting weekend of the year. We are not intimidated by that. If anything, it tells you something about the kind of people who will be on that water — athletes who love sport in all its forms, racing in a city that will be buzzing. There will be a screen nearby. There will be a boat on the water. Both deserve your attention.

“Copenhagen has been on my mind since the very first conversation about where the Paddle Games could go. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with water running through its identity in a way that feels made for this format. The fact that it is happening this summer, in the middle of the World Cup, makes it even more special — sport everywhere you look, and ours right in the middle of it.

What excites me most is who is making it happen. Victor Aasmul is an Olympian and a Dancing With the Stars celebrity. He and his team are the organisers of this event. That is exactly the kind of partnership the Paddle Games needs as it grows: athletes who want to close the gap between our sport and the people who have never seen it, but would love it if they did.” — Ekaitz Saies, CEO and Founder, Paddle Games (Read the interview “We will play in our own league”).

Whether you are there to race or to watch, expect something worth remembering.

If you would like to COMPETE fill in this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_rPXmJdvMpuVpsYmhjffMO6Qihc45qGNS1vyIP7bM8zWhhg/viewform

Entries are open to kayakers at all competitive levels from Denmark and across Europe. Kayak loan may be available for those who need it (email: copenhagenknockoutsprint@medience.dk).

The registration fee is 100 kr via Mobilepay for Danish participants, and 13.38 Euro via bank transfer for internationals.

SWIFT: REVOLT21 — IBAN: LT10 3250 0739 4082 6112

Registration is confirmed upon receipt of payment. For questions about participation, equipment, or the event schedule: copenhagenknockoutsprint@medience.dk

More details on the location, format, and schedule to follow. Stay close.

18 July. Copenhagen. On the water.

Beyond the Lane.