Parc de la Mar to host the second edition of the Ciutat de Palma Canoeing Trophy

Young talents and international stars from ten countries will compete in a unique format at the foot of the Cathedral of Mallorca, organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

Parc de la Mar will host the second edition of the Ciutat de Palma Canoeing Trophy on October 11th. The competition, which debuted successfully in 2024, will once again bring together some of the world’s top specialists. The event is once again organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP), which continues its commitment to bringing this sport closer to the city in a unique format.

The event will follow the same structure as last year, with two main competition blocks: in the morning, the base races will feature young national canoeing talents, while in the afternoon, the Elite category will take the stage with 24 paddlers from 10 countries (12 men and 12 women).

The men’s field will include notable names such as German Tom Liebscher (three Olympic medals), Spanish Marcus Cooper (three Olympic medals), Portuguese Fernando Pimenta (three Olympic medals and more than 130 international medals), and fellow Spaniard Álex Graneri, with 15 international medals (the last two at this year’s Senior World Championship) and a member of RCNP.

In the women’s category, highlights include Portuguese Teresa Portela, a five-time Olympian; Polish Anna Pulawska, recently crowned double world champion; German Paulina Paszek, with two Olympic medals; and Spanish Lucía Val, 2023 Women’s K4 World Champion.

Carlos Borrás, event coordinator, notes that last year was a “beta phase” and that this year, the international response has exceeded expectations, with the addition of Hungary and the United States, two leading nations in this sport.

The Ciutat de Palma races aim to increase excitement with a “turn-around” maneuver, which forces athletes out of their comfort zones and creates high-tension moments in each matchup. This format, along with the competition’s setting (at the foot of the Cathedral of Mallorca), is the main attraction of the event. “At the official World Cup circuit,” Borrás assures, “Spanish athletes tell me that their international teammates ask for my contact to find out how they can participate in the Ciutat de Palma. That’s why this year we’ve introduced a new Open phase, with registration open to paddlers worldwide, and the mixed K2 category, adding to a format designed for sprinters and long-distance paddlers to share the course under equal conditions.”

The organizers are exploring, with the Palma City Council, the possibility of moving the event base within Parc de la Mar closer to Antoni Maura Street and Passeig del Born, allowing greater engagement with the public.

Nelo Canoes, as the main sponsor, and the Palma City Council, through its institutional sponsorship, support this initiative, which aims to establish itself in the local calendar of major international sporting events. The competition also receives collaboration from Paddle Games, the Royal Spanish Canoeing Federation, and the Balearic Canoeing Federation.