Turning pressure into fuel: Romania’s World Champion Matei Barbu, 17, prepares for ICF SUP Junior Cup on home turf

At just 17, Matei Barbu is already the ICF Junior World SUP Champion and Vice World Champion in sprints (2024 Gold and 2025 Silver), representing the new generation of European paddlers emerging from a rapidly growing Eastern European scene alongside athletes from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and beyond.

Originally from Constanța, Romania, Matei brings explosive energy to paddling, and his World Championship achievements reflect both his natural strength and the technique he has developed at a young age.

The upcoming 2026 ICF SUP Junior International Cup in Bascov, Romania, from 19 – 21 June, will serve as a proving ground for Matei and his peers. Sanctioned by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), the event brings together the world’s top U14, U16, and U18 athletes for an elite international competition. Focused exclusively on juniors, the Cup provides a world-class stage to test skill, strategy and endurance against the best young paddlers in the sport.

Image source: Planet Canoe / ICF World SUP Championships

Hi Matei, welcome to TotalSUP! The ICF SUP Junior International Cup is becoming a key stage for the next generation – what does this event mean to you personally?

For me personally, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in SUP racing. I have to give credit to the people who came up with the idea of focusing strictly on juniors once a year. I really hope that it will catch on and every year someone will think of organising this type of event, even though I will no longer be a junior starting with next year.

As a two-time Junior ICF World Champion representing Romania, do you feel added pressure coming into this race, or do you approach it like any other event?

I treat every competition different, but this is certainly one of my main goals this year. I wouldn’t say it’s pressure, it’s rather motivation. Knowing that I managed to perform well on the biggest stage makes me confident in my abilities.

Replay of Matei Barbu’s 2024 Gold Medal (Commentaries by Sarah Thornelly and Mathieu Astier)

Has your mindset changed after becoming a world champion, especially when lining up against other top juniors?

Of course there were some changes in the way I approached races mentally, but the feeling of lining up on the start is the same no matter who you are and what you achieved. You never know who can come out on top, especially with the small margins between us.

Have you had a chance to train or compete on this course before? If so, what stands out about it and what paddlers can expect?

Yes, we organise the Junior National Championships there every year. It’s mostly flat water, with rare gusts of wind. It’s a beautiful venue where I always feel really good and I hope they will too.

How would you describe the SUP scene in Romania right now?

It’s small, but little by little we manage to bring more people on the water. It’s nice to go on the Black Sea during summer and see people on inflatable paddleboards trying the sport. The feedback has been positive from everybody and they always came back for more. Hopefully more of them will actually start competing in the future so that the national team can grow.

Matei with Team Romania at the 2023 ICF World SUP Championships in Thailand

What kind of training environment do you have at home?

I train both on a lake and on the sea. Mostly I train on flat water, but whenever we are approaching a big competition that’s held in open water we always tend to go to the beach more. Sadly, we don’t have surf waves, only choppy water, but we make do.

What should international paddlers know about racing in Romania – conditions, community, or competition level?

We have national competitions, but we also hold a few international ones, especially this year with the Junior Cup and the Ivan Patzaichin Marathon in the Danube Delta, where any paddler on any type of gear (kayak, canoe, SUP) can join us in commemorating the greatest athlete Romania has ever had in the discipline of kayak-canoe.

Looking beyond the ICF Junior Cup, what’s next on your radar?

Of course, the main event for this year are the World Championships in Sabaudia, but until then, I will go to the Spring SUP Race next week, European SUP League’s World SUP Festival and lastly, the European Championships and World Cup in Agios Nikolaos.

What would you say to young SUP athletes dreaming of becoming top athletes and claiming one day that World Title?

To anyone with a dream: chase it! Whether it’s sports or any other passion, if you want it, go for it. It’s not impossible, but it requires hard work and a shift in your mindset. Just remember: Don’t rush the process. Nothing great is ever built in a hurry.

Image source: Planet Canoe / ICF World SUP Championships

Thank you for your time, and wishing you a successful racing season ahead!

To find out more about the event and register, visit sayfuture.ro

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Follow Matei Barbu on Instagram

*Images courtesy of Matei Barbu