More than 20 countries at the first ECA SUP European Championships in history

 

Over 100 athletes from more than 20 European countries came to Szeged, Hungary, to contest the first Stand Up Paddling European Champion titles in a competition under the auspices of the European Canoe Association.

Noemi Horvath, ECA SUP Technical Delegate, who is also the technical organiser of the 2024 ECA Canoe Sprint, Paracanoe and SUP European Championships in Szeged, talked about the inaugural ECA SUP European Championships.

This is the first ECA SUP European Championships in history. What are your first impressions?

Noemi Horvath: "We are in Szeged, which is a capital of canoe sprint. We wanted to make a multidiscipline event and welcome SUP paddlers here as well. I really hope they enjoy this. This facility and this water are a bit different for them, because they are not used to this kind of water. From what I heard from them they enjoy being here and I hope they will have good competition here."

Are you happy with the number of participating countries and athletes?

Noemi Horvath: "For the first SUP European Championships I think exceeding the 20 countries is very good number, we have more than 20 countries here, more than 100 athletes, which I think is very good for the future. Of course, we can improve, but for the first time I think it is really good."

Here, we will see four disciplines. Can you, please, explain a bit more for those who are not that familiar with the SUP?

Noemi Horvath: "Technical race is the most typical day of paddling the SUP, the paddlers race 1000 metres long race course and they turn around five turning buoys, left and right turning points as well, which makes the race very interesting and exciting, because anything can happen until the very last metres. This is the most special discipline. Then we will have sprint. Sprint is the same as in canoe sprint, they paddle 200 metres in a straight line, and then we have the long distance, which is nine kilometres long on the same race course. They will paddle four laps. And the fourth one is the inflatable race, more like a fun race, it is open for everyone who paddle SUP for recreational reason. We welcome everyone from the continent, can join us for this Stand Up paddling festival."

In Hungary, you are know for a very good organisation, so for the first SUP European Championships, you already set the bar very high.

Noemi Horvath: "I hope they will be satisfied with the organisation here. I hope we will find a good organiser of the next edition, because we plan to have ECA SUP European Championships every second year, so I hope we can raise this bar again in two years."