The Labe Arena in Račice is set to welcome Europe’s top athletes in canoe sprint and paracanoeing. From 19 to 22 June, competitors from across the continent will gather in Račice at the ECA European Championships for the third time in history.
The organising team in Račice is working tirelessly to ensure the top level European Championships. This will be the third time Račice will host the ECA Championships, following the years 2006 and 2015, while this venue also hosted the 2017 edition of the Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships.
"Hosting such a prestigious event is always a big responsibility for us. We want the Championships to be perfect not only for the athletes, but also for the fans and the entire Czech Republic. At the same time, it’s an opportunity to showcase ourselves to the world," said Stanislav Ježek, President of the Czech Canoe Union.
The preparations are in a full swing and the venue is almost completely read, as Pavel Šebesta, Competition Manager of the 2025 European Championships Organising Committee, pointed out at the press conference: "We can proudly say we are 90% ready."
Both Czech Paris 2024 Olympic Champions – canoeist Martin Fuksa and kayaker Josef Dostál – will be on a start line of the European Championships held on their home soil. They both already have an experience from 2015 and 2017. "I managed to win at the World Championships in front of the home crowd. It was an amazing experience, one of the best races of my career. When you’re supported by fans, family, and friends, it’s something truly special," recalled Martin Fuksa. Josef Dostál added: "When I won the 500 meters at home in 2017, I felt like a rock star. Thousands of fans were literally eating out of my hand. That’s not something you experience often in our sport – which makes us appreciate these moments all the more."
An European Championships debut will be made by Czech paracanoeist Miroslav Šperk: "I’m really looking forward to the event. It’s an honour to compete in front of a home crowd at such an important competition."
The Championships is expected to bring a lot of excitement over four competition days. . "The championship will kick off with an opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, around 5 PM. The races will begin on Thursday," explained Jan Boháč, Chairman of the Canoe Sprint Section.
16.4.2025
