PADDLE SPORT SHOWS FORUM 2026
CONVERSATION & TALKS
The talks and conferences are back at the Paddle Sports Show, and once again this year we are offering a rich and varied program, with topics at the heart of the paddle sports industry’s concerns. All conferences are broadcast live on the exhibition’s YouTube channel @PaddlerGuideTV.Understanding change, sharing experiences, shaping the future of paddle sports.
The Paddle Sport Show Forum 2026 is the dedicated space for ideas, discussion and debate at Europe’s professional paddle sports trade show.
Through a series of Conversations & Talks, the Forum will bring together brands, federations, clubs, tourism professionals, event organisers, entrepreneurs, media and paddlers to discuss the major changes and challenges shaping our industry.
How can we attract new paddlers? How can we turn a first paddling experience into a regular activity? How do we engage younger generations and build lasting communities? What role can events, clubs and new rental models play? Can electric assistance open up new markets? And how can we bring greater circularity into our industry?
Eight sessions to share experiences, challenge ideas and explore practical ways to shape the future of paddle sports.
Day 1 – Wednesday September 30th
1:00 pm
RENTAL BOX STATIONS — A NEW GATEWAY TO PADDLING?
Automated rental stations, self-service equipment and app-based booking are creating new ways to access paddle sports on lakes, rivers, recreation areas and coastal locations. These Rental Stations can significantly simplify access to equipment, allowing people to get on the water without necessarily going through a traditional rental centre, club or paddlesports provider. Could they become a new gateway into paddle sports and a genuine growth opportunity for our market? Which business models are working today, and what can we learn from the first operators? Greater accessibility also raises important questions around safety, information and instruction. How do operators assess users, communicate local conditions and manage the risks associated with inexperienced paddlers? A conversation at the crossroads of innovation, accessibility, business development and responsibility.
4:00 pm
KIDS & YOUNGSTERS — GET THEM ON THE WATER!
Day 2 – Thursday October 1st
12:00 am
COMMUNITY — KEEP PADDLERS PADDLING!
Attracting new paddlers is one challenge. Giving them a reason to stay is another. At a time when sporting habits are becoming increasingly individualised, community may be one of the most powerful tools we have for retaining participants. How can we bring paddlers together, help them connect and create a genuine sense of belonging? Clubs have traditionally played an important role in building these communities, but new forms of connection are now emerging through events, social media, digital platforms and apps. How can brands, clubs and new players contribute to this dynamic? Drawing in particular on the experiences of Rally Crew and Canua, this conversation will explore how community can become a genuine driver of long-term participation — and ultimately of a stronger paddle sports market. Speakers: Deborah Kane – Rally Crew; Clemens Grossmann and Simone Belfi – Canua; clubs, brands and community-building platforms.
2:30 pm
E-PADDLING — THE FUTURE?
Electric assistance has profoundly changed the cycling industry, opening the sport to new audiences while creating entirely new uses and market segments. Could paddle sports be heading towards a similar transformation? Electric fins, compact motors and other assistance systems are already beginning to appear. These technologies could make getting on the water easier for older people, people with disabilities, less athletic users or anyone looking for additional assistance. They could also create new possibilities for touring, tourism and rental operations. For the industry, electrification could represent an important new product category and a significant opportunity for future growth. What solutions already exist? Who are they for? What new uses could they create? And how can we embrace technological innovation without losing the essence of paddle sports? Speakers: Sebastjan Sitar – SIPA Boards; Bernd Flügel – F2; Alan Lu – Waydoo.
4:00 pm
MASS EVENTS — WHY DOES IT WORK?
Trail running, road running and cycling have demonstrated just how powerful major events can be in accelerating the development of a sport. They give people a goal, create emotion, bring communities together and generate visibility far beyond the core group of existing participants. Several examples within paddle sports show that the same dynamic can work on the water. So how can we take it further? How do we create events that not only attract new paddlers, but also encourage them to stay involved? Should the focus be on competition, adventure, experience, accessibility or simply having a great time together? And, most importantly, who should drive these events: brands, federations, clubs, private organisers or destinations and local authorities? A conversation about turning events into genuine drivers for participation, community building and market growth. Speakers: Mira Kodada / Devils Race, Joël Doux / Lyon Kayak.
11:00 am
FROM FIRST STROKES TO REGULAR PADDLER
A recent study conducted by the French Canoe and Kayak Federation (FFCK) among tourism professionals estimates that nearly 3 million people in France paddle on an occasional basis. Across Europe, that potential audience probably exceeds 4 million people. Yet this huge exposure to paddle sports still converts into relatively few regular independent paddlers or club members. Why? What prevents someone who enjoys their first paddling experience while on holiday from continuing to paddle afterwards? Is it a question of visibility, access to equipment, the image of our sports, the way clubs operate, or simply how we communicate? What marketing tools and strategies could help bridge this gap? Federations, brands, tourism professionals and specialist media will share their perspectives and explore how this huge pool of occasional participants could become the next generation of regular paddlers. speakers: Jean Pinard, Jean Luc Rigaud/FFCK, Dieter reinmuth/DKV.
1:00 pm
CLUB 3.0
Clubs remain one of the historical foundations of paddle sports across Europe. But paddlers’ expectations are changing: more freedom, greater flexibility, more services and, in some cases, less willingness to commit to traditional club structures. At the same time, clubs face their own challenges: recruiting and retaining volunteers, financing their activities, generating new sources of income and adapting their services to new types of paddlers. How should the club model evolve? What new services could clubs offer? How can they become more financially self-sufficient? And what can French, German and other European clubs learn from each other? Held on the final day of the show, Club 3.0 will be designed as an open discussion and experience-sharing session, giving club managers the opportunity to talk about their needs, challenges and ideas — but also to share the initiatives that are already working. Potential speakers: FFCK, DKV, presidents and managers of French and European paddle sports clubs.