The Paddle Sports Show Photo Gallery, Lyon, France

The launch of the Paddle Sports Show in Lyon last year provided the European paddle industry with a new industry get together following the closure of PaddleExpo. The Paddle Sports Show has cemented itself as the trade show for paddle sports in Europe.

The organizer of the show is Philippe Doux, Founder of KS Publishing, the international paddle sports media house and publisher of Kayak Session magazine. Last year’s launch show proved that the new location in Lyon at the Tony Garnier exhibition Hall in the centre of the city, right by the river, to be a great spot for the paddle industry to congregate and show their next season’s products.

Last year saw 125 exhibitors exhibiting on 6500 m2, with a little under 800 trade visitors. This year the 10,000 sq m2 floor space is fully booked by over 140 brands and registered visitors are mostly coming from Europe’s retail base, with still a fair amount of accounts coming all the way from the Far East, North and South America. Expect the usual big players such as Starboard, Fanatic, Indiana, Tahe, Aquamarina, Aztron, Aquadesign, Poolstar, Aquaglide, Naish  NRS etc., alongside smaller and super innovative companies. This year there is a big increase in companies exhibiting foil-related products, including E-foils. So expect the whole industry to be gathered under one roof for three days to share in shaping our future and to demonstrate the collective strength of the Paddle industry.

On the first day the show is open from 9:00-19:00 and stand parties will be welcoming you between 19:00 – 22:00. Day two the hours are the same followed by the industry party and awards ceremony from 7-10 pm. The last day is shorter from 9:00 – 16:00 and the industry On Water Demo is from 14 00 – 18:00. The Industry Party and awards ceremony on Thursday is not to be missed with the Products of the Year Awards and the annual Hall of Fame ceremony. The 11 categories in the Paddlesport Product of the Year Awards, presented by Kayak Session Publishing, are chosen by a panel of independent judges. The awards highlight products that are making a difference through innovation, performance, design, and utility and the lucky winners are announced during the industry dinner.

As an additional service to exhibitors the show will have a video studio and photo booth available where exhibitors or visitors can professionally shoot products, with a green wall, spotlights, professional photographers, and video operators

This year the conference and webinars schedule is as follows: Wednesday 14.30 The Paddle Sports Footprint; How to reduce the environmental impact of the paddle sports products and 16.00 The British Canoeing Delivery Partner Scheme, British Canoeing will talk about its newly launched delivery partner scheme. Thursday 10.30am Opening of the Paddlesports Market; How to facilitate the entry into the market of all newcomers. Welcome new participants, how to attract them, and how to keep them, 12.30 The British Canoeing Delivery Partner Scheme, British Canoeing will talk again about its newly launched delivery partner scheme and 4.30 pm Tourism, Sustainable Development & Paddle Sports How are Paddle Sports perceived by the tourism industry, and how they can integrate into a global sustainable strategy. Friday 10.00 Federations & the Paddle Sports Industry; What role can be played by national and international federations in the paddle sports industry development and  12.00 pm The Paddlesports Facing the Current World Situation. What solutions can be found for the Paddle Sports industry facing the explosion of raw material, production transportation cost?

Finally and importantly, Friday afternoon is reserved for the industry to test product on water. And don’t forget the media will be covering all the on water action. So get your product and dealers down to the river, just 200 meters from exhibition centre, and let them experience your latest gear.

The 3 days of business will be followed by a two days Testival for the public combining racing with testing. On the first day of the Testival there will be a 200 meters Sprint SUP race, a Foil challenge with both demo and testing, the Pink October on-water parade with Ingrid Ulrich and her association Au delà des oceans, promoting breast cancer awareness, combined with public product testing all day long. On the Sunday the Paddle Show Race over a 12km distance will be open to anyone. pros to intermediate with over 200 racers expected as its part of the French Stand Up Paddling Championships. The goal is to have the Lyon Paddle Show Race become a key event on the European racing and event calendar, and they hope to reach the 500 paddler mark over the next few years

Lyon is an easy location to access with its international airport, connections to the motorway network and the TGV train system. Action sports retailers and distributors should take the time to visit the show and look at this market whether it be for hardboards or inflatables. The Paddle Sports Show is a one-stop-shop window for all there is to buy in the paddle business and it’s all under one roof in a single hall, simplifying the selection and buying process for retailers and this is a significant advantage for all visiting shops. See you in Lyon!