At its tenth edition, the Nuremberg-based canoe and kayak show,...

At its tenth edition, the Nuremberg-based canoe and kayak show, now named PADDLEexpo, hosted 173 brands and companies from 26 countries between Sept. 18 and 20. The number of exhibitors increased by one percent, and 86 percent of them came from outside Germany, led by the U.S. with a share of 25 percent and the U.K with 15 percent. The exhibitors welcomed a stable number of 1,464 trade visitors, with more than the half coming from 46 foreign countries. The organizers describe the general market situation in this sector as more or less stable or growing moderately, thanks to the strong development of stand-up paddling (SUP). This new sport is enjoying strong growth not only in traditional SUP markets such as the U.S., Australia and Southern Europe, but now also in Germany, where the number of SUP boards sold is expected to double to 6,000 units this year. On the other hand, the paddle industry is getting increasingly under price pressure due to the influx of rather inexpensive products from the Far East. The next edition of PADDLEexpo will run on Oct. 2-4, 2013.