Paddling News

Comme chaque année durant le week-end de l’Ascension, la Vendée Va’a revient aux Sables d’Olonne pour transformer la côte vendéenne en véritable terre de culture polynésienne et de rame océanique. Organisé par l’association SAPOVAYE, l’événement est devenu au fil des années un rendez-vous incontournable du calendrier international de va’a, mêlant compétition de haut niveau, partage […]

The 2026 edition of the PA’A Hawai‘i Kaiwi Solo once again delivered an unforgettable showcase of endurance, tactical brilliance, and true ocean mastery as paddlers from across Hawai‘i, Tahiti, the mainland United States, and beyond took on the legendary 32-mile crossing from Molokaʻi to Oʻahu. In classic Kaiwi fashion, the Kaʻiwi Channel tested every athlete […]

The second edition of the Ivan Patzaichin International Canoe Marathon – a 45-kilometre challenge bringing together kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddle enthusiasts, both elite and recreational – is an event that honours both athletic performance and the legacy of one of Romania’s greatest athletes. Held from 22-24 May, the marathon also marks the official opening […]

South Africa’s Kira Bester and Portugal’s Bernardo Pereira opened the 2026 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Series in dominant fashion, claiming victory at the Madeira Ocean Racing Challenge, the first stop of the season. Pereira delivers at home Racing on familiar waters, Bernardo Pereira confirmed his status as one of the sport’s rising leaders. The […]

Rooted in the ocean since childhood, Paolo Ameglio has built a life and a career  around paddling. Born in Panama and now based in South Florida, he brings over 15 years of coaching experience across outrigger canoeing and dragon boat, including work with the U.S. national teams. As the founder of Florida Paddling Hui, he […]

Merlin Grellier-Besancon is one of the rising young names in the world of outrigger canoe racing, a demanding ocean sport that combines endurance, power, technique, and the ability to read ever-changing conditions at sea. Competing across disciplines such as OC1, OC6, and V1, he has quickly built a reputation as one of the most promising […]

Australia has always had a particular relationship with the ocean. For Matt and Josh Walsh, that relationship started early. Growing up as brothers in a sporting family, they tried nearly everything, and excelled at most of it. But it is on the water, aboard their Nalu canoes, that the two brothers found something that stuck. […]

Au croisement de l’océan et des marais,  s’impose comme une course à part dans le paysage des épreuves de rame. Entre effort de longue distance, stratégie et adaptation constante aux éléments, l’événement séduit  un public de plus en plus large, des passionnés aux compétiteurs aguerris. Les 30 et 31 mai prochains, aux Sables-d’Olonne, différents supports […]

The world of outrigger canoeing and ocean paddling is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved figures. Kai Bartlett, a champion paddler, craftsman, mentor, and lifelong ocean lover, has passed away at the age of 50. His death has profoundly affected the global paddling community, with friends, competitors, and fans sharing an outpouring […]

Passionate about the ocean and driven by a strong competitive spirit, this French paddler Thomas Buton and Nalu’s Canoes team rider  has built an impressive journey in outrigger canoeing since discovering the sport in 2010. After many years playing American football, he turned to the water in search of a new challenge and quickly fell […]

Born in Budapest, Hungary, far from the world’s great ocean channels, Beata Markin began her paddling journey in sprint kayaking at just ten years old. What started on flatwater evolved into a career defined by open-ocean racing, resilience, and constant progression. Now based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, she competes at a high level across multiple disciplines  […]

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 […]