Mathieu Astier

It’s the news TotalPaddler – and the entire Outrigger Canoe racing community – has been waiting for! Starting next season, the International Canoe Federation (ICF) has officially confirmed the inclusion of the OC1 (outrigger canoe) as a medal event for both men and women, joining the surfski SS1 and SS2 categories, at the ICF Canoe […]

Tahiti’s Team OPT joined the elite list of Molokai Hoe champions on Sunday, conquering the 40.8-mile Ka‘iwi Channel from Moloka‘i to Waikīkī in 4 hours, 42 minutes, and 2 seconds. The first-time winners ended fellow Tahitian powerhouse Shell Va‘a’s three-year reign, with the defending champions finishing second in 4:44:57. “It’s the first win for OPT […]

The world’s best surfskiers are heading to Durban, South Africa, for what promises to be one of the most exciting ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships ever — and there’s now even more to paddle for. The Local Organising Committee has announced a doubling of the total prize purse to an impressive ZAR 200,000 (around […]

Le Fort Boyard Challenge 2025 aura marqué les esprits : deux jours de glisse, de vent et d’émotions, ponctués par un record de participation historique avec 650 inscrits. Répartis entre épreuves de vent (windsurf, windfoil, wingfoil), stand up paddle et pirogues polynésiennes, les participants ont profité d’un week-end aux conditions aussi engagées que spectaculaires. Avec […]

Canoe Ocean Racing is set to take a major step forward in 2026 with the International Canoe Federation confirming four-stop World Cups spanning Brazil, France, Malaysia, and Tahiti. For the first time, athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international circuit dedicated to surfski racing, with events strategically placed across the globe. The […]

Ihilani Va‘a secured a landmark victory at the 41st edition of the Na Wahine O Ke Kai, presented by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, becoming the first crew from Tahiti to win the prestigious women’s V6 championship. The Tahitian squad completed the 41-mile Kaiwi Channel crossing from Molokai to Waikiki in 5 hours, 51 minutes and […]

A few hours before the start of the Molokabra, we had the chance to sit down with one of the key figures shaping the growth of va’a in Brazil: Lígia Felismino. Architect by profession and paddler by passion, Lígia discovered canoeing in 2021 and quickly embraced the sport as a lifestyle, balancing her love for […]

As the 2025 IVF World Distance Championships  edition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil draws near, this is the perfect moment to look back at the Samoa 2023 IVF World Distance Championships which delivered five unforgettable days of racing, with elite and masters crews pushing themselves through challenging Pacific swells. We would also like to remind fans […]

Organisateur passionné et directeur d’Easy Nautique, Xavier Poirot innove une nouvelle fois avec l’édition 2025 du Pornichet Glisse Trophy, en introduisant un format encore rare en France : la course de pirogue V6 à changement. Inspiré des grands rendez-vous polynésiens, cette course permettra sur 36 kilomètres, aux équipages de changer entre 1 à 3 rameurs […]

In a sport where speed, glide, and stability define performance, outrigger canoe makers are constantly chasing the perfect ride. But a growing number of paddlers—and designers—are realizing that performance isn’t just about hull shape. It’s also about function, ergonomics, and the little things that make every session smoother. That’s where Nalu Canoes steps in, offering […]

The 2025 Kaiwi Solo Crossing / Molokai 2 Oahu once again delivered a spectacular showcase of grit, skill, and ocean mastery as paddlers from across the Pacific battled the legendary 32-mile Ka’iwi Channel between Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. In testing conditions, the world’s best outrigger canoe paddlers pushed their limits, with French Polynesian champion Kevin Ceran-Jerusalemy taking […]

Installé depuis plus de 30 ans à Moorea, Emmanuel Moinier — alias Manu — est devenu une figure incontournable du monde du va’a en Polynésie Française. Charpentier naval passionné, il est à l’origine de la marque Va’a Max, dont les pirogues de course sont aujourd’hui présentes sur de nombreuses lignes de départ à travers le […]