Brest to host European Ocean Racing championships, showcasing surfski and outrigger

Brest to Host European Ocean Racing Championships

From August 26 to 30, 2026, Brest will host the European Ocean Racing Championships, a significant event for top European surfski and outrigger canoe (OC1, OC2, V6) athletes. Organized by the Canoë Kayak Club Brestois (CKCB), the championships aim to showcase this spectacular discipline, with a special focus on outrigger canoes. Mikael Menez, the club's associative director and general coordinator, highlights Brest's unique advantages for Ocean Racing and the CKCB's vision for a grand celebration of ocean paddling.

Brest's Ideal Conditions & Event Origins

Mikael Menez, a long-standing figure in Brest's paddling community, leads the 2026 championships organization, managing partnerships, logistics, and safety. Brest's candidacy grew from years of local efforts, including the Breizh Ocean Race, an international long-distance event co-organized with the Estran club and Stéphane Roudaut. This demonstrated the exceptional suitability of the Breton coast, particularly Brest's bay and the Finistère coastline, for Ocean Racing. Menez's experience organizing Brest's international maritime festivals also provided crucial expertise. Hosting the event aims to elevate the club's profile and establish Brest as a European stronghold for the sport.

Brest offers diverse navigation conditions: a sheltered bay for starts and finishes, and the Iroise Sea providing oceanic swell, wind, currents, and long glides. This allows for technically challenging and spectacular courses where success depends on reading the sea and exploiting oceanic conditions, not just physical power.

Participation, International Scope, and Outrigger Inclusion

Over 250 competitors from approximately twenty European nations are expected across all official and invited outrigger canoe categories. Prominent athletes, including French surfski champions Hector Henot and...

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