Va’a

Some athletes are driven by competition. Others are driven by something deeper. For Axel Celmanti, paddle sport became a turning point, a space where discipline, purpose, and self-belief came together. Following the amputation of his leg, he was forced to adapt to a new reality and rediscover his path. What began as a step into […]

À 21 ans, Ranitea Mamatui avance entre deux mondes. Née et élevée à Tahiti, bercée par le lagon et la culture du Va’a, elle a grandi avec l’océan comme terrain de jeu et comme école de vie. Introduite très tôt à la pirogue par son père, elle y a trouvé bien plus qu’un sport : […]

Sixteen thousand kilometers separate Tahiti from mainland France and that is the distance Ranitea Mamatui chose to cross to pursue her studies. At 21, the Polynesian paddler has traded lagoon waters for a new life at Aix-Marseille University, where she is training to become a physical education teacher. Raised by the ocean and introduced to […]

Raised between Tahiti, Fakarava, and Moorea, he learned to read currents, swells, and the rhythm of his crew. Paddling for him is not only competition. It is a daily practice, a link to his family, his island, and his ancestors. Hotuiterai Poroi pushes his va’a off the beach and begins his morning session, just as […]

A 9ª edição da VIBE – Volta de Ilhabela confirmou mais uma vez o lugar único do evento no calendário da canoagem. Realizada todos os anos no primeiro final de semana de dezembro, a VIBE é uma prova de revezamento de 90 quilômetros aberta a todas as embarcações de remo sentado, sendo especialmente popular entre […]

The 9th edition of VIBE – Volta de Ilhabela once again confirmed the event’s unique place on the paddling calendar. Held every year on the first weekend of December, VIBE is a 90-kilometer relay race open to all seated paddle crafts, while remaining especially popular with OC6 and V6 teams. This year marked record participation, […]

Le Championnat de France d’Ocean Racing 2025 s’est tenu à Toulon, sur la plage du Mourillon, du 29 octobre au 2 novembre. Cet événement majeur de la saison a rassemblé l’élite française de la rame océanique autour de conditions variées, mêlant vent, houle et stratégie.Au programme : des courses longues distances en monoplace et biplace, […]

À quelques semaines du Marathon International des Gorges de l’Ardèche (7 et 8 novembre 2025), l’effervescence monte à Vallon-Pont-d’Arc ! Véritable institution depuis 1985, cette course mythique attire chaque année plusieurs centaines de passionnés de pagaie venus affronter les rapides spectaculaires de l’Ardèche dans un décor grandiose. Après avoir accueilli les pirogues V6 pour la […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Les 4 et 5 octobre prochains, Fouras vibrera au rythme des pagaies à l’occasion du Fort Boyard Challenge 2025. Depuis près de vingt ans, ce rendez-vous nautique s’est imposé comme une référence, accueillant aujourd’hui la plus grande course de V6 d’Europe avec plus de cinquante pirogues attendues au départ. Si ce succès repose sur l’attrait […]

Aux confins de l’Atlantique, sur l’île sauvage de Fuerteventura, se cache une aventure unique où passion et océan ne font qu’un. Depuis 2017, Philippe Horowitz a donné vie à MAEVA Kayak, une structure pionnière qui marie la tradition de la pirogue polynésienne et la modernité du surfski. Ancien compétiteur et éducateur formé en eaux vives […]

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 […]