Maltese Paddlers Conquer the Baltic: Strong Showing at the Ostsee Cup

Rostock, Germany - 19th July 2026 - For the fifth consecutive year, athletes from Malta's Surfski Shack made their mark at the Ostsee Cup, an international canoe ocean racing event held on Sunday, July 19. Sharing the start line with high-profile paddlers such as 2024 World Champion Gordan Harbrecht and French standout Pierre Vilella, the four-person Maltese contingent delivered impressive performances across the board.

The 20-kilometer course, stretching from Kühlungsborn to Warnemünde, is renowned for delivering dependable downwind action, and this year did not disappoint.

Competitors were treated to 12 to 15 knots of wind along the entire course, generating well-aligned waves ranging from 1 to 1.5 meters. With a slightly onshore breeze blowing from the 7 o'clock direction, the athletes quickly found their rhythm and surfed the waves all the way to the finish line.

Leading the charge for the Senior Men, Matthew Schembri secured 15th place overall with a time of 1:25:13. "It wasn't the easiest to prepare for races this year with the birth of my son and a back injury leading up to the race," Schembri noted. "However, I did my best and left everything on the water. I'm quite happy with the results. Onto bigger and better things."

Samuel Borg followed in 23rd place (1:34:40), capitalizing on the favorable weather. "Good conditions with a fair chance at best performance for us Maltese paddlers," Borg remarked.

In the Women's overall category, Larissa Micallef put in a strong effort, crossing the line in 8th place overall with a time of 2:02:03.

A standout performance came from Andreas Bohnsack, who placed 28th overall (1:40:29). At 67 years old, Bohnsack was the oldest paddler in the field by four years. His finish stands as a testament to the fact that resilience, determination, and fitness yield remarkable results at any age, proving to be a true inspiration for the entire paddling community.

The Surfski Shack expressed their gratitude to the Ostsee Cup organizing committee for their hospitality and excellent race management. The club also extended its thanks to Sport Malta, whose International Participation Scheme provided crucial funding for travel and accommodation.

With the Ostsee Cup successfully behind them, The Surfski Shack is already looking ahead to their next major challenge: the grueling Round Gozo circumnavigation, scheduled for the weekend of September 12-13.