Canoe Slalom 2026 Team Announced

A strong Irish canoe slalom team has been selected for the 2026 international season, with athletes set to compete across canoe slalom and kayak cross at World Cups, European Championships and World Championships throughout the year.

Building on the momentum generated by Ireland’s historic Paris 2024 Olympic campaign, the 2026 season marks another important step forward for the programme as athletes continue to benchmark themselves against the very best in the world. The season will once again feature a packed international calendar across Europe and beyond, offering opportunities for both established senior athletes and emerging junior paddlers to perform on the international stage.

The international season gets underway with World Cup 1 in Tacen, Slovenia from May 29th–31st, before moving to Prague, Czechia for World Cup 2 and Augsburg, Germany for World Cup 3 in June. The World Championships will take place in Oklahoma, USA in July, on the course which will be used for the 2028 Olympic Games. The racing then returns to Europe for World Cups in Vaires-sur-Marne, France and La Seu d’Urgell, Spain. The 2026 European Championships will conclude the senior championship season in Ivrea, Italy in September.

The 2026 selection process reflects the continued evolution of international canoe slalom, as Canoeing Ireland begins aligning more closely with the ICF World Ranking system and the developing Olympic qualification structures ahead of LA28.

Senior athletes who achieve top performances during the opening World Cup races will secure places for later season championships, while strong results from Ireland’s developing Under 23 and junior athletes could also see them earn opportunities later in the year.

With experienced internationals returning alongside the next generation of Irish talent, the 2026 season promises another exciting chapter for Irish canoe slalom on the world stage.