PRESS RELEASE

Twelve countries, four continents and the dream of the first 30-kilo carp. The anniversary edition of Stairs2Hell starts this Sunday!

1 October 2026

Preparations for the tenth edition of the Stairs2Hell European Carp Fishing Championship are reaching their final stage beneath the Pálava Hills. This year, one hundred teams from twelve countries and four continents will take part in the 142-hour competition, which starts on Sunday. Along with the anniversary trophy, everyone will be waiting for a fish that could become the first in the history of the competition to cross the magical 30-kilogram mark. The result may be decided not only by the teams’ tactics, but also by the wind and rapidly changing October weather.

— Anežka —

Competitors will begin arriving at Novomlýnská Lake on Saturday, 3 October. After the opening ceremony and the draw for fishing spots, the teams will move to their sectors. The competition itself will start on Sunday, 4 October at 11 a.m. and finish 142 hours later, on Saturday, 10 October at 9 a.m.

The winner will be decided by the total weight of each team’s three heaviest carp. A single big catch can therefore change the leaderboard even a few minutes before the final signal.

International competition beneath the Pálava Hills

The Czech Republic will have the largest representation, with sixty teams. The competition will also welcome sixteen teams from Poland, ten from Slovakia, four from Austria and three from Hungary. The starting list also includes competitors from Germany, Ukraine, Romania and Lithuania. The teams travelling the longest distance to the Pálava region will come from South Africa, New Zealand and Vietnam. In total, forty of the one hundred teams will come from abroad. This strong international participation confirms every year that Stairs2Hell has grown far beyond the limits of a Czech competition. It also brings together different fishing traditions, experience and tactical approaches.

Will the trophy return home?

Sportcarp remains the last Czech winner after claiming the title in 2022. In each of the following three years, the trophy went abroad. Although Czech teams have the advantage in numbers and many competitors also know the local water well, competition director Vít Černý warns against making simple predictions. “Based on the numbers, the trophy should stay in the Czech Republic because Czech teams have the largest representation. However, the last few years have shown that this does not really mean anything. In this respect, Stairs2Hell is a huge lottery. The conditions, the wind and the places drawn by the teams will decide the result. If Czech teams find themselves in the right areas, they will have a better chance of bringing the gold trophy back home,” he says.

Among this year’s main favourites are the defending champions, Eko Baits Team Poland. The Polish team is the only one to have won Stairs2Hell twice and has also finished third once. Last year, they caught all three of their winning carp during the final seventeen hours and moved from an unremarkable position all the way to the top.

Will the 30-kilogram mark be broken?

The current competition record is held by a carp weighing 29.72 kilograms. The organisers believe that the anniversary edition could finally bring a fish that pushes the record beyond the magical 30-kilogram mark. However, the safety of everyone taking part remains more important than any sporting ambition. “Above all, we always hope that nobody gets hurt, because safety is the most important thing. And on the positive side, we would love to see a beautiful fish caught. A carp weighing more than thirty kilograms would be a huge moment for us and a dream come true for the competitors,” says the second competition director, Petr Šurek.

Jakub Vágner, patron and co-founder of Stairs2Hell, has a similar message for the competitors: “Above all, I wish every competitor a safe return from the water, as well as enough strength, patience and determination. Pálava can be beautiful, but it can also be extremely tough.”

The wind may also decide the result

According to current weather models, the competition should begin with relatively warm and calm weather. However, lower temperatures, showers and stronger winds may arrive during the following days. The forecast for the second half of the week may still change, so the teams must be ready to adjust their tactics during the competition.

The wind could have a major effect on the result. It can move the fish between different parts of the large lake and bring a sector that previously seemed almost lifeless into action within just a few hours. The ability to react to unexpected changes may decide which of the one hundred teams takes home the anniversary trophy.

Follow the competition live from the lake!

The latest news, live results, photographs and videos will be published throughout the competition on the Stairs2Hell website and social media channels. The leaderboard will be updated regularly with information directly from the competition.