Canoe Polo European Club Championships 2026 finals day: holders KSVH Berlin out, Duisburg still perfect in Milan
- Published
- 2026-10-04T08:42:51+00:00
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- PaddleStats
Full competition results: Paddle Europe Canoe Polo Club Championships - Milan
Sunday at the Idroscalo in Milan decides the 2026 Paddle Europe Canoe Polo Club Championships, and the men's trophy will change hands. KSVH Berlin, champions in Kaniów a year ago, lost their quarter-final 1–0 to Málaga on Saturday evening. The women's holders MKC Duisburg are still perfect after six matches and meet Alaquàs in the semi-final at 09:15.
Overview: the eight semi-finalists in numbers
| Team | Category | Country | Route to the semi-finals | W–D–L | Goals | Top scorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKC Duisburg | Women | Germany | 1st in Group A, 1st in Group D | 6–0–0 | 30:8 | Laura Saliou (9) |
| Alaquàs | Women | Spain | 1st in Group C, 3rd in Group D | 5–1–0 | 37:7 | Nele Schmalenbach (9) |
| KRM Essen | Women | Germany | 1st in Group B, 2nd in Group D | 5–1–0 | 32:8 | Jill Rutzen (8) |
| Burriana | Women | Spain | 2nd in Group B, 4th in Group D | 2–3–1 | 18:14 | Raquel Calvente Reboll (8) |
| Odysseus | Men | Netherlands | 1st in Group B, quarter-final | 5–1–0 | 48:16 | Mats Pel (12) |
| Avranches | Men | France | 2nd in Group B, extra round, quarter-final | 5–2–0 | 45:21 | Leo Dehainault (13) |
| Málaga | Men | Spain | 1st in Group C, quarter-final | 5–0–1 | 26:11 | Dario Emanuel Stern, Antonio Romero Mesa (7) |
| Chiavari | Men | Italy | 2nd in Group C, extra round, quarter-final | 6–0–1 | 30:15 | Gianmarco Emanuele (8) |
Forty clubs came to Milan: 25 in the men's competition and 15 in the women's, with 168 matches on four pitches over three days. By the end of Saturday the men had played 83 matches and scored 680 goals, an average of 8.2 per match. The women's 45 matches produced 317 goals, 7.0 per match. Eleven men's matches and four women's matches ended level.
The two competitions use different routes to the last four. The men played four groups (three of six teams, one of seven). Group winners went straight into the quarter-finals; the teams in second and third place played an extra knockout round for the other four quarter-final places. The women played three groups of five. The top two of each formed a second group of six for places 1–6, keeping the result of their first-round meeting, and the top four of that group reached the semi-finals.
On Sunday the semi-finals start at 09:15 and the finals at 14:30 and 15:15. None of the eight semi-finalists has lost more than once in Milan. Times are local (CEST).
| Time | Category | Match | Pitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:15 | Women, semi-final | KRM Essen – Burriana | 1 |
| 09:15 | Women, semi-final | MKC Duisburg – Alaquàs | 2 |
| 09:50 | Men, semi-final | Málaga – Chiavari | 1 |
| 09:50 | Men, semi-final | Odysseus – Avranches | 2 |
| 13:45 | Women and men, bronze | losers of the semi-finals | 1 and 2 |
| 14:30 | Women, final | winners of the semi-finals | 1 |
| 15:15 | Men, final | winners of the semi-finals | 1 |
Men: Málaga beat the holders, Odysseus score the most
In Saturday's quarter-finals two of the four men's group winners went out: Corbeil-Essonnes lost 3–2 to Chiavari and Napoli, who had won Group D with five wins and a draw, lost 7–3 to Avranches. Berlin, second in Group A, fell to Málaga. Only Odysseus kept both their group title and their unbeaten record, and they needed a second-half goal from Reno van den Berg, after two from Erwin Roos, to beat Ulster 3–2.
Málaga against Chiavari is a repeat of Group C. The Spaniards won that one 3–1 on Saturday morning. Both teams finished the group on 12 points, with Málaga first on that result and on goal difference. Their only defeat came on the opening day, 4–1 to Skovshoved. Málaga have won all four matches since, and they have conceded 11 goals in six matches, the fewest of the four men's semi-finalists. Their top scorers are Dario Emanuel Stern and Antonio Romero Mesa with seven goals each. Their quarter-final against Berlin was the lowest-scoring match of the men's competition: one goal in 20 minutes, scored by Romero Mesa in the second half, against a team that had scored 36 in its other six games.
Chiavari took the long road. Second in Group C, they had to play the extra round and beat Coimbra 4–3, then knocked out Corbeil-Essonnes 3–2, until then the unbeaten winners of Group A. Both wins were by one goal. Beaten by Málaga in the group, Chiavari have won both knockout matches since, which makes them the dark horse of the men's draw. Gianmarco Emanuele leads them with eight goals. Chiavari have played seven matches, one more than Málaga, and they have the second-best defence of the four, 15 goals conceded.
The other semi-final is also a rematch. Odysseus and Avranches drew 5–5 in Group B on Saturday morning. Neither has lost a match in Milan. The Dutch club have scored 48 goals in six matches, an average of eight, more than any other men's team in Milan. Two of their wins were by nine goals, 10–1 against Setúbal and 11–2 against Dispersus, and they beat Ieper 11–3. Avranches have 45 goals in seven matches, including the biggest win of the men's competition, 11–1 against Setúbal.
Leo Dehainault of Avranches has 13 goals, the most of any player still in the title race, one more than Odysseus's Mats Pel. Odysseus spread the goals more widely: Wessel Vroon has ten and Erwin Roos eight. Avranches lean on two players, Dehainault and Baptiste Cotta, who has nine.
Odysseus have the stronger attack, but they won their quarter-final by a single goal, as did Málaga and Chiavari. Avranches won theirs more comfortably, 7–3 against Napoli, the winners of Group D, after beating Castellón 5–3 in the extra round.
Women: Germany against Spain in both semi-finals
The women's last four are two German and two Spanish clubs, and each semi-final pairs one with the other.
KRM Essen and Burriana have already met in Group B and drew 3–3. Essen have five wins and that draw, with 32 goals scored and 8 conceded; Jill Rutzen has eight of them. Their 10–0 win over Zürich on Saturday evening equalled the biggest margin of the women's competition. Burriana have the weakest record of the four (two wins, three draws, one defeat), yet they are the only team to take points from both KRM Essen and Alaquàs. Their one defeat was a 2–1 against Duisburg. Raquel Calvente Reboll has scored eight.
Duisburg and Alaquàs have not played each other in Milan. The holders have won all six matches, 30–8 on goals, but their last two were tight: 1–0 against Rovigo and 2–1 against Burriana. Laura Saliou is their top scorer with nine. Alaquàs arrive with five wins and a draw, 37 goals scored and only 7 conceded. That is the best defence in the women's competition and the second-best attack, one goal behind Pont-d'Ouilly. Nele Schmalenbach has nine goals. Alaquàs also hold the other 10–0 of the tournament, against Deventer.
Duisburg and Alaquàs have conceded only 15 goals between them in twelve matches.
The leading scorers of the women's competition will not play for a medal. Lise Guymarc'h (14) and Camille Mayer (13) play for Pont-d'Ouilly, who meet Avranches for seventh place at 09:15.
Top scorers, KSVH Berlin and the placing matches
Top scorers of the tournament (as of 08:40 on Sunday):
| Player | Club | Category | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erik Malmborg | Linköping | Men | 15 |
| Sergio Corbella Trillo | Castellón | Men | 15 |
| Shani Benkatti | Corbeil-Essonnes | Men | 14 |
| Leo Dehainault | Avranches | Men | 13 |
| Lise Guymarc'h | Pont-d'Ouilly | Women | 14 |
| Camille Mayer | Pont-d'Ouilly | Women | 13 |
| Dominika Sojka | KP Praha | Women | 11 |
| Chiara Trevisan | Rovigo | Women | 10 |
Berlin conceded 10 goals in seven matches, fewer than any other men's team, but did not score against Málaga. At 09:50 they face Corbeil-Essonnes in the semi-final for places 5–8, while Ulster play Napoli; the match for fifth place is at 11:35. René Kirchoff is their top scorer with ten goals, ahead of Magnus Prüfer with nine.
Sunday began with the placing matches. In the semi-finals for places 9–12 Coimbra beat Skovshoved 7–3 and Castellón beat Thurgau 4–3; Coimbra and Castellón play for ninth place at 11:00, Skovshoved and Thurgau for eleventh at 11:35. In the women's competition Rovigo won the first leg of the match for fifth place 3–1 against Zürich, with the second leg at 11:00.
The two Polish clubs play in the lower brackets. Team Poznań meet Zürich in the semi-final for places 13–16, with Jakub Maslak on ten goals. KS Powiśle Warszawa, fourth in Kaniów last year, play Deventer for places 17–20; Juliusz Bulira has scored seven for them.
What's next: medal matches from 13:45
The losers of the semi-finals play for bronze at 13:45 on pitches 1 and 2. The women's final follows at 14:30 and the men's final at 15:15, both on pitch 1, closing the 2026 European Club Championships. The men's competition will have a new champion; the women's title stays in Duisburg only if the holders win twice more. Our tournament preview has the full field and the results from Kaniów.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the finals of the 2026 Canoe Polo European Club Championships?
On Sunday 4 October at the Idroscalo in Milan. The women's final starts at 14:30 and the men's final at 15:15 (CEST), both on pitch 1. The bronze-medal matches are at 13:45.
Who are the defending European club champions in canoe polo?
KSVH Berlin (men) and MKC Duisburg (women), who won in Kaniów in 2025. Berlin were knocked out by Málaga in the quarter-finals in Milan; Duisburg play Alaquàs in the semi-final.
Who are the top scorers at the 2026 European Club Championships?
In the men's competition Erik Malmborg (Linköping) and Sergio Corbella Trillo (Castellón) had 15 goals each before Sunday's 08:40 matches. In the women's competition Lise Guymarc'h of Pont-d'Ouilly leads with 14.
How many teams play at the 2026 European Club Championships in Milan?
Forty: 25 men's and 15 women's club teams. The programme has 168 matches over three days on four pitches at the Idroscalo.
Is Duisburg's perfect run in danger against Alaquàs?
Alaquàs have conceded fewer goals than Duisburg (7 against 8) and scored more (37 against 30), and Duisburg won their last two matches by a single goal each.
Can Chiavari reverse their group defeat to Málaga?
Málaga won the Group C meeting 3–1 and have the best defence of the men's semi-finalists. Chiavari have since won two knockout matches by one goal, including against the unbeaten Group A winners Corbeil-Essonnes.
Sunday's medal matches start at 13:45, and results from all 168 matches are on the event page. Odysseus and Avranches go into their semi-final unbeaten, Duisburg go into theirs with six wins from six, and by 16:00 Milan will have two new or confirmed club champions of Europe.