Uru Steering Paddle - Kotahitanga 2026

Our 2024 World Sprints paddle strung each nation along a tī leaf lei - a design we named Hilo. For 2026, with the championships in Singapore, we swapped the lei for a Singapore chain as the base, and hung all 39 national taonga from it, each country's treasured flower, fern or tree. Every one of the 39 was illustrated for this paddle, carrying the detail of Southeast Asian batik. Flat colour made way for gold edging and texture. The design carries the taonga of all 39 member nations: American Samoa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Guiana, Germany, Great Britain, Guam, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rapa Nui, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sweden, Tahiti, Taiwan, Tonga, USA, Vanuatu, and Wallis & Futuna. Five of those have joined the International Va'a Federation since 2024, on the blade with us for the first time - mauri ora Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mexico and Vanuatu. This is the whole federation whānau, carried on one paddle. A dependable mid-sized steering blade built for Aotearoa’s diverse paddling conditions. With a 7cm offset for comfort on flat water and a 52cm blade length for precision in sprint turns and ocean conditions, the Uru is equally at home in short or long-distance races. Carbon-reinforced edges and a steering grip add durability and control where it matters most.