Adria SUP Challenge 2026: Where the Alps Meet the Adriatic
Photo courtesy: Naredi Nekaj za Naravo Team
KOPER, Slovenia - Koper was once again at the heart of an action-packed sporting weekend as the fourth edition of the Adria SUP Challenge brought international stand-up paddleboarding to the Adriatic coast on September 5–6, 2026. Held at the Žusterna Water Sports Centre, the event welcomed 119 competitors from 12 nations, generating an impressive 214 discipline entries across the two-day program. With 60 medals awarded, ASC 2026 confirmed its position as one of Slovenia’s leading SUP events and an increasingly important stop on the European SUP racing calendar.
Organised by Sports Association Naredi Nekaj za Naravo (NNN), the Adria SUP Challenge is part of the prestigious SUP Alps Trophy and is the only sea race in the series. This unique position gives the event a distinctive character, as athletes leave lakes and rivers behind and face the ever-changing conditions of the Adriatic Sea.
The race course in the natural amphitheater of the Bay of Koper allows spectators to follow the action from the shore, while the combination of the Adriatic Sea and the Alps in the background creates a spectacular setting for international SUP racing.
Two days, five disciplines and 214 race entries
Saturday combined the demanding 10 km Long Distance Race with the Kids, Fun and Inflatable SUP races, creating a program that brought together elite athletes, experienced paddlers and recreational SUP enthusiasts.
The Long Distance Race attracted the largest field, with 74 entries, followed closely by the highly competitive Technical Race, which recorded 67 entries. The programme also included 30 Fun Race entries, 27 Inflatable SUP entries and 16 U12 Kids Race entries.
Sunday was dedicated to the spectacular Technical Race, with qualifiers, semi-finals and final head-to-head heats around buoys positioned close to the shore. Powerful starts, tight turns and sprint finishes provided plenty of excitement for both racers and spectators.
The Queen of the Races
The Long Distance Race once again lived up to its reputation as “The Queen of the Races”. Strength, endurance and race strategy were put to the test over 10 kilometers of challenging coastal racing.
In the Open Women, Hungary’s Dóra Ebenspanger claimed victory, followed by Italy’s Lisa Venturelli and Slovenia’s Naja Pinterič. In the Open Men, Slovenia’s Maj Abbas Jokhadar took the win, with Hungary’s Botond Balla in second and Slovenia’s Gal Gros in third.
The Long Distance Race also featured several age categories, with Zsofia Kolumban winning the U18 Women, Ódor Barnabás the U18 Men, Szabolcs Fodor the 40+ Men, Polona Pušljar the 50+ Women and Gábor Öreglaki the 50+ Men.
The 10 km Long Distance Race also served as the Slovenian National Championship. Naja Pinterič claimed the women’s national title, followed by Polona Pušljar and Natalija Fon Boštjančič. In the men’s championship, Maj Abbas Jokhadar took gold, with Gal Gros second and Gregor Mohorič third.
A total of 18 domestic athletes — 10 men and 8 women — competed for the national championship titles.
Racing on Inflatable Boards
The Inflatable SUP Race offered a different challenge, with competitors racing exclusively on inflatable boards. Germany’s Lisa Schiffner took the women’s victory, followed by Slovenia’s Vesna Pajić and Croatia’s Stanislava Laginja. In the men’s field, Slovenia’s Rok Puvar claimed first place, ahead of Germany’s Arnd Dünzinger and Croatia’s Goran Smirčić.
Put the Paddle to the Metal
The weekend culminated with the Technical Race — “Put the paddle to the metal!” — one of the most exciting and spectator-friendly disciplines of the Adria SUP Challenge. In the Open Women, Italy’s Lisa Venturelli took the win, followed by Hungary’s Dóra Ebenspanger and Slovenia’s Vesna Pajić. The Open Men final was won by Hungary’s Ódor Barnabás, with fellow Hungarian Szabolcs Fodor taking second and Slovenia’s Maj Abbas Jokhadar completing the podium.
An increasingly international event
The 2026 edition further underlined the growing international character of the Adria SUP Challenge, with competitors traveling to Koper from 13 nations. Beyond the racing itself, the event created an opportunity for athletes, clubs and SUP enthusiasts to meet, exchange experiences and promote an active lifestyle and a stronger connection with the water.
For Sports Association Naredi Nekaj za Naravo, organizing the event is also about raising awareness of the importance of clean water and protecting the natural environment. The club’s members Gal Gros, Vesna Pajić and Polona Pušljar also made their mark on the competition, underlining the strong connection between the local SUP community and the organization behind the event.
The event featured a total prize purse of €2,400, with prize money distributed equally between men and women. Cash prizes were awarded in the overall Long Distance classification and the Open Technical Race.
With 119 competitors, 13 nations, 214 race entries and 60 medals awarded, the fourth Adria SUP Challenge once again demonstrated the growing strength of SUP racing in the region. Koper continues to offer a unique meeting point for the European SUP community — a place where international competition, the Adriatic Sea and the Alps come together in one spectacular sporting setting.
For more SUP race news, click here.
