Bansko will host Bulgaria’s first European Rafting Championship in 2025. From June 23 to 29, participants from over 10 European countries will compete in this extreme sport. The competitions themselves will take place on the Struma River in the Kresna Gorge, where training will begin on June 23, and the official opening will be in the center of Bansko on the 24th.
The participating countries are Bosnia, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Greece, Romania, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Germany. Six teams from Bulgaria will compete in various disciplines—slalom, sprint, H2H, and long descent.
The championship is organized by the Bulgarian Rafting Federation and the Municipality of Bansko, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as well as the municipalities of Kresna and Simitli.