Kayaks, canoes, rafts, prams, and paddleboards line up on the Vltava for the Český Krumlov River Marathon, a yearly paddling race in South Bohemia. The race starts upstream in either Vyšší Brod or Rožmberk nad Vltavou and finishes in Český Krumlov, with 36 km and 26 km river options depending on the category.
The course follows the Vltava into town and sends paddlers through the Krumlov weirs before the finish on the embankment by the brewery. Hundreds enter, from first-time amateurs to international-level racers, and the open entry means ordinary paddlers can share the same race with top competitors. The event was inspired by the river marathon in France’s Ardèche Canyon and grew into the most visited race of its type in the Czech Republic.