ICF Announces Four 2026 Canoe Ocean Racing World Cups

Canoe Ocean Racing is set to take a major step forward in 2026 with the International Canoe Federation confirming four-stop World Cups spanning Brazil, France, Malaysia, and Tahiti.

For the first time, athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international circuit dedicated to surfski racing, with events strategically placed across the globe. The chosen venues highlight both the sport’s established destinations and its emerging frontiers: Kuantan (Malaysia), Molokabra (Brazil), Tahiti, and Reunion Island (France).

Some dates are already confirmed:

Tahiti: July 31st – August 2, 2026 – serving as the official test event for the 2027 World Championships.
Reunion Island: November 9–15, 2026 – closing the season with ambitions to host a future World Championships.
Fortaleza Brazil: MidSeptember – Molokabra will represent the Americas with its rapidly expanding international field and signature downwind conditions.
Malaysia (Location and dates TBA) will open the circuit, marking Asia’s growing importance in the surfski community.

According to Marian Sarbu, Chair of the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing Committee, the new series “creates a circuit that promises both great opportunities for athletes and unprecedented visibility for the sport.” Organisers in Tahiti are already planning a large-scale boat tender and working with a budget exceeding €500,000, underlining the scale of their commitment.

With four very different ocean racing arenas on the calendar, the 2026 season is shaping up to be a landmark year. From Asia to the Pacific, South America to the Indian Ocean, paddlers will now have a truly global stage to showcase their talent and push the sport of surfski racing into a new era.

Following the inclusion of OC1 at the 2024 Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships in Madeira, we look forward to further official announcements from the ICF related to this topic.