Hornet Watersports: History, Partnerships, and Championship Experience

Founded in 2014, Hornet Watersports has built its dragon boat experience through IDBF-approved paddle manufacturing, championship sponsorships, federation and association partnerships, event-specific paddle designs, co-branded products, and custom team programs.

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Hornet at a Glance

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Founded in 2014

Hornet Watersports was founded in 2014. We began by developing high-performance carbon dragon boat paddles with full graphic blade designs, adjustable handle systems, and custom team options. Our range later expanded to include paddling accessories, kayak paddles, kayak accessories, and indoor rowing seat cushions and accessories.

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IDBF-Approved Dragon Boat Paddle Manufacturer

We appear in the International Dragon Boat Federation’s official directory of approved dragon boat paddle manufacturers. Our Sting+ graphic and STEALTH Performance Series paddles are IDBF approved under license 3525. The original STING paddle and our IBCPC commemorative paddle listings use IDBF license 3523. Every Hornet dragon boat paddle we have produced since 2014 has been IDBF approved.

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Gold Sponsor of the 2015 IDBF World Championships

We were a Gold Sponsor of the 12th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Welland, Ontario, Canada, in 2015. The sponsorship gave us a direct role in one of the IDBF’s premier international competitions shortly after our founding.

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Official Paddle Sponsor of the 2016 EDBF European Nations Championships

We served as the official paddle sponsor of the 12th EDBF European Nations Championships in Rome, Italy, in 2016. We created the Custom Italia Design dragon boat paddle specifically for the championship. More than 1,600 athletes participated in the event. We also displayed and sold paddles in Rome. Custom Union Jack Hornet paddles used by Team UK were among the paddles documented at the championship.

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International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission

We publicly announced our product partnership with the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission on February 7, 2018. The relationship began with the IBCPC Hornet Paddle and expanded into additional official IBCPC products. A portion of sales from IBCPC-branded Hornet products has supported the IBCPC’s work encouraging breast cancer dragon boat teams worldwide. Our IBCPC range has included paddles, paddle bags, seat pads, gloves, commemorative products, and international festival collections. We are the Official Paddle Partner of the 2026 IBCPC Dragon Boat Festival in Aix-les-Bains, France. The official IBCPC website also identifies Hornet as a provider of official IBCPC gear.

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Dragon Boat Canada

We have a documented history of working with Dragon Boat Canada, the national governing body for dragon boat racing in Canada. Our partnership records identify Dragon Boat Canada as an Official Paddle Partner.

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Official Dragon Boat Canada Paddles

We developed co-branded Dragon Boat Canada paddles, including the X1 Official Dragon Boat Canada paddle. The co-branded Sting+ paddle has been offered in Clamp and Leverlock adjustable configurations under IDBF license 3525 through our Canadian dealer.

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Dragon Boat Canada Hall of Fame Paddles

In 2019, we designed and produced custom commemorative paddles for Dragon Boat Canada’s Hall of Fame program. The Hall of Fame recognizes individuals, crews, and groups that have achieved prominence in dragon boat racing or made major contributions to the development of the sport in Canada. The project extended our custom work into federation recognition, awards, commemorative programs, and ceremonial presentations.

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Championship Experience

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2016 IDBF Club Crew World Championships

We attended the IDBF Club Crew World Championships in Adelaide, Australia, in 2016. Working with our Australian dealer, we launched the K-Series graphic dragon boat paddle collection and a limited Australian-themed product range at the event. Our event report documented teams using custom Hornet graphic paddles, including:

• Abreast of Life
• Hauraki Blues
• Avonside Girls High School

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Federation and Association Partnership History

Our dragon boat history includes relationships with international, continental, national, and paddler organizations. Some relationships are current, while others are part of our historical partnership record.

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Community Support and Paddle Donations

Beyond our commercial partnerships and event sponsorships, we have donated Hornet paddles to organizations and teams throughout the dragon boat community. Donation recipients have included:

• Youth organizations and paddling programs
• Breast cancer survivor fundraising initiatives
• Military veteran organizations and teams
• Club and community team initiatives

These donations have supported access to paddling equipment, community fundraising, team development, and participation in the sport.

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National-Team and Representative Program Use

Our paddles have been used by national-team and representative programs in Thailand, New Zealand, and Great Britain. Our custom paddle history also includes competitive clubs, school programs, breast cancer paddling organizations, and teams participating in national and international championship environments.

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More Than 100 Custom Team Projects

We have created custom-designed paddles for more than 100 teams worldwide. Our custom paddles can be developed around:

• Team and club logos
• National or regional identity
• Jersey and uniform colors
• Sponsor graphics
• Federation and association branding
• Championship and festival artwork
• Hall of Fame and recognition programs
• Exclusive artwork created for a team