European national teams will gather in the Spanish city from 2 to 6 October to compete in Sprint, Long Distance, Technical Race and Team Relay at the European Stand Up Paddle Championship
Melilla is preparing to welcome European Stand Up Paddle. From 2 to 6 October, athletes and national teams from across Europe will gather in the Spanish city for EUROSUP 2026, the European Stand Up Paddle Championship for national teams organised by the European Surfing Federation (ESF).
Located on the Mediterranean coast and with a strong connection to the sea, Melilla will become a meeting point for European SUP during the championship. Playa de la Hípica will host the main sporting activity, bringing together speed, endurance, technical racing and team competition.
The European championship will also form part of the Melilla 2026 Water Games, a multi-sport project promoted by the Spanish Sports Association (ADESP), together with the Government of Melilla and eleven Spanish sports federations. Taking place from 26 September to 18 October, the Water Games will bring together more than 3,000 athletes, coaches and officials from a range of aquatic disciplines.
EUROSUP will therefore share the city with a project that, over three weeks, will turn Melilla into a meeting point for different water sports, while keeping the European championship, the national teams and their athletes at the heart of these days of competition.
Melilla, a meeting point for European SUP
EUROSUP will bring athletes, coaches and European national teams together in Melilla in an environment closely connected to the nature of Stand Up Paddle.
Playa de la Hípica will be the main competition venue, while the Real Club Marítimo de Melilla will host part of the organisational activity ahead of the championship. For Román Diez, President of the Spanish Surfing Federation, the commitment shown by the city and its institutions has been an important part of the work carried out to make the championship possible.
“For the Spanish Surfing Federation, it is a pleasure to welcome the European national teams to Melilla and to contribute to another edition of EUROSUP. I would particularly like to thank Melilla and its institutions for the commitment, support and willingness they have shown from the very beginning. Hosting a competition of this nature requires a great deal of work and coordination, and we have found a city that is fully committed to the championship and to the athletes.”
The President of FESurfing also highlights the wider dimension of the championship as part of the Water Games.
“EUROSUP is also part of a much broader project, the Water Games. We must recognise the work being carried out by ADESP to bring different federations and disciplines together in Melilla around a common project. Sharing the city, facilities and experiences with other sports over these weeks is also a valuable opportunity to demonstrate what organised sport can achieve when institutions, federations and organisations work together.”
Román Diez also extends a welcome to the European delegations:
“We hope that all the national teams feel warmly welcomed and that, in addition to competing at the highest level, they have the opportunity to discover and enjoy Melilla. The athletes will be the true protagonists of these days, and our hope is that they find here the best possible setting in which to represent their countries and share another major event for European Stand Up Paddle.”
Four events to decide the European titles
The sporting programme will showcase different aspects of SUP Race through four disciplines: Sprint, Long Distance, Technical Race and Team Relay.
Competition will begin on Saturday, 3 October with the Sprint, a 200-metre race starting from the beach, with heats of up to four competitors.
Sunday, 4 October will feature the Long Distance event, with a planned 12-kilometre course.
The Technical Race will take place on Monday, 5 October over a 1.8-kilometre course. Qualifying rounds will be contested over one lap, with the finals held over two laps.
Competition will conclude on Tuesday, 6 October with the Team Relay over a distance of 500 metres, highlighting the collective dimension of a championship contested by national teams.
The championship begins on Friday
Official activities will begin on Friday, 2 October with the arrival and accreditation of the delegations.
Mandatory team registration will take place between 09:00 and 14:00, followed by the Team Managers Meeting from 15:00 to 17:00 at the Real Club Marítimo de Melilla.
The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 19:30 and will take place alongside the opening of the Water Games.
On Saturday, before competition begins, the national teams will have an official training session from 10:00.
The Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, 6 October at 12:30.
EUROSUP as part of the Water Games
The integration of EUROSUP into the Water Games will allow Stand Up Paddle to share the city with other aquatic disciplines and form part of a wider project bringing together organised sport.
The Water Games feature nine official championships and two exhibition events, involving eleven Spanish sports federations across a three-week programme.
Bringing competitions, athletes, coaches and organisations together will also provide an opportunity to introduce different water sports to residents and visitors and demonstrate the potential for cooperation between institutions and sporting organisations.
How to follow EUROSUP 2026
The championship will feature audiovisual coverage and live broadcasts throughout the different days of competition, allowing audiences to follow the events and the progress of the participating national teams.
Information, results and updates regarding schedules and the development of the championship will be available through the official channels:
- European Surfing Federation: eurosurfing.org
- European Surfing Federation Instagram: @europeansurfingfederation
- Spanish Surfing Federation: fesurf.es · Instagram: @fesurfing_
- Live broadcast: surfing.es · Instagram: @surfingpuntoes_
EUROSUP 2026 Programme — Melilla
Friday, 2 October
09:00–14:00 — Team registration and accreditation
15:00–17:00 — Team Managers Meeting · Real Club Marítimo de Melilla
19:30 — Opening Ceremony
Saturday, 3 October
10:00 — Official training
15:00 — Sprint
Sunday, 4 October
09:00 — Long Distance
Monday, 5 October
10:00 — Technical Race
Tuesday, 6 October
10:00 — Team Relay
12:30 — Awards Ceremony