Name: 20th German Concrete Canoe Regatta 2026
Start: 2026-06-19T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-06-20T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Regattastrecke Beetzsee, Brandenburg an der Havel

Concrete Canoe Regatta

About Concrete Canoe Regatta

The 20th German Concrete Canoe Regatta will take place on June 19 and 20, 2026, at the Beetzsee regatta course in Brandenburg an der Havel — one of Germany's most unusual sporting events. Over 1,000 students from 52 universities and vocational schools from Germany and Europe will compete with self-built concrete boats. Friday: Boat inspection and jury evaluation (construction, design, sustainability). Saturday: Competitions from 8 a.m., Open Class boat parade around 1 p.m., semi-finals and finals from 2:10 p.m. Free admission. Organizers: InformationsZentrum Beton (Concrete Information Centre) and the City of Brandenburg.

Dates 19 Jun — 20 Jun 2026

Venue Brandenburg an der Havel (12051)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Concrete Canoe Regatta — edition 2026

The 20th German Concrete Canoe Regatta will take place on June 19 and 20, 2026, at the Beetzsee regatta course in Brandenburg an der Havel. Friday: Boat inspection and jury evaluation. Saturday: Competitions from 8 a.m., Open Class boat parade at 1 p.m., semi-finals and finals from 2:10 p.m. Over 1,000 students from 52 universities in Germany and Europe will compete with self-built concrete boats. Free admission.

Key Dates

Fri, June 19 – Sat, June 20, 2026
Location: Beetzsee Regatta Course, Brandenburg an der Havel
Over 1,000 students from 52 universities
Free admission
Organizers: InformationsZentrum Beton (IZB) with the City of Brandenburg

Highlights Concrete Canoe Regatta 2026

20th Anniversary Edition — over 1,000 students from 52 universities — Open Class boat parade on Saturday — competitions from 8 a.m., finals from 2:10 p.m. — symbiosis of engineering and sport on the Beetzsee regatta course.

Programme Concrete Canoe Regatta 2026

Schedule 2026

Friday, June 19 — Day before:
- Arrival of teams from Germany and Europe
- Boat inspection in the regatta course area
- Jury evaluation: construction, design, sustainability, innovation
- Preparation of the racing boats
- Get-together evening for the teams
Saturday, June 20 — Competition Day:
- 8:00 a.m. — Start of heats in the various classes
- approx. 1:00 p.m. — Open Class Boat Parade — the most creative and unusual constructions
- from 2:10 p.m. — Semi-finals and finals in the various categories
- Late afternoon — Award ceremony, prizes for design / construction / sport
Sponsors / Partners: ALLPLAN, Köhler Beton, RECKLI, VDB, City of Brandenburg an der Havel

Prices Concrete Canoe Regatta 2026

Free admission. Food stalls on site at market prices.

Practical information

Practical information — Concrete Canoe Regatta

Getting there

By train: RE1 from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Brandenburg Hbf (approx. 50 min), then tram 1 to the main station or bus to the regatta course. By car: A2 exit Brandenburg, parking spaces are signposted at the regatta course.

Admission

Free admission.

Tip

If you want to see the Open Class creations: come on Saturday at 1 p.m. for the boat parade. These are the most unusual and often most beautiful boats — some float more than they swim. Instagram account @izb_betonkanu for updates and preview images.

When students build a boat out of concrete

The German Concrete Canoe Regatta has been a unique German event since 1986: every two years, around 1,000 students from the construction and engineering fields meet to compete in self-built boats made of concrete. It sounds absurd, but it is technically highly demanding — and a flagship of German concrete and engineering culture. In 2026, the 20th edition will be held as a юбилей regatta on June 19 and 20 at the Beetzsee regatta course in Brandenburg an der Havel.

52 universities from all over Europe

Over 52 universities and vocational schools from Germany and Europe are registered. They have spent the year building their concrete canoes — with their own recipes, their own construction principles, and their own designs. The spectrum ranges from serious racing boats (as light and fast as possible) to creative open-class constructions, which are sometimes more sculpture than boat.

Date and schedule 2026

The regatta takes place over two days. On Friday, June 19, 2026, the boat inspection and jury evaluation will take place: construction, design, sustainability, and innovation will be assessed. On Saturday, June 20, 2026, it's time to hit the water: competitions from 8 a.m., Open Class boat parade around 1 p.m., semi-finals and finals from 2:10 p.m. Thousands of spectators line the regatta course — students, families, civil engineers, and curious residents of Brandenburg.

Beetzsee — the regatta course of the Federal Republic

The Beetzsee regatta course in Brandenburg an der Havel is one of the most modern rowing and canoe regatta courses in Germany. World, European, and German championships in rowing and canoe events are regularly held here. Its location in the city landscape near the Havel river, the grandstand, and the developed infrastructure make the course an ideal venue even for unusual sporting formats like the Concrete Canoe Regatta.

Sponsors and organizers

The regatta is supported by the InformationsZentrum Beton (IZB), with support from ALLPLAN, Köhler Beton, RECKLI, the VDB (Association of the German Cement Industry), and the City of Brandenburg an der Havel. The event also serves to promote young talent in civil engineering and to impart knowledge about materials — concrete is more than just a gray block; it is a highly complex composite material that makes amazing things possible.