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Celebrating our 100th Outrigger session in Badalona: 2023–2024
News article
July 23, 2024

Celebrating our 100th Outrigger session in Badalona: 2023–2024

It has been exactly one year ago in July when we restarted the outrigger program at Barcelona Caiac. Since then we have been maintaining regular training sessions with our iconic, orange-striped V6.

A couple of weeks ago we had our 100th paddling session, and in total since last summer we have taken out the canoe over 120 times: on average that means we paddled every 3rd day. We have introduced outrigger canoeing to more than 60 people and it has proven to be a huge success as even first-time paddlers get quite taken with the experience and many of them stay on as permanent members of the crew.

The beauty of the six-man canoe, apart from its obvious appeal of exoticness, lies in its accessibility. It allows pretty much anyone, independent of age, fitness level and previous paddling experience, to have a great time on the water, cover great distances at open seas, even in conditions that otherwise would be a lot more technical in a touring kayak, surfski, SUP, or other man-powered craft. If anything, going out in wave conditions is what seem to be getting people hooked the most! After all, the Barcelona waters are a wonderful playground that we should enjoy to the maximum! And the team aspect helps keep things moving along: it gives you courage and safety, as well as sets you on a quest to contribute, be it about getting more fit, improving your paddling technique, or learning to steer and command the canoe.

One of our regular, sunset-hour training V6 sessions, this time accompanied by a V1 and surfski


In the past year, we streamlined our routines, learnt from mistakes, and overall became a whole lot better both at paddling together as a team and at navigating and understanding the sea around us. We found ourselves paddling when the sun rose, and we found ourselves paddling when the sun set. We've encountered dolphins, pilot whales, a swordfish, and tuna leaping from the water. We paddled in sunshine and paddled in rain, under a rainbow, and once even came riding on a storm. We completed two segments of the Ruta de las Anforas, reaching Sant Pol first on the Maresme coast, then Cala Canyelles on the Costa Brava, covering a total distance of 70 km. Then we came paddling back. (Info: the Ruta de Las Anforas is a long-distance paddling challenge and cultural-sportive initiative by our club which aims to connect Badalona and Narbonne, reconstructing a sea route used by Roman merchant vessels in the antiquity.)

Warm-up before the 2nd part of the Ruta de las Anforas, from St Pol de Mar, here adorned with a rainbow, and heading towards Cala Canyelles in the Costa Brava

We grew our permanent team to be over thirty paddlers from ten different nations, while from time to time we swapped crews with others. We welcomed onboard pro paddlers from well-established outrigger clubs coming from Brazil, Peru, Panama, California, the UK, New Zealand, and Singapore. At the same time, ourselves have jumped in canoes abroad to train or even race together with foreign teams in France, the UK, Brazil, and Portugal. We also welcomed the Zlatar duo as crew members: father Mirko and son Bruno are now paddling with us in Badalona. With the help of 2023 Samoa world champ Bruno, we also kickstarted the V1 training program to introduce this form of traditional rudderless canoe paddling from Tahiti, and had over a dozen people try it out or take classes.

Frequency chart of our taking out the V6 canoe between 2023–24

What lies ahead of us? Here are some of our goals for the next year:

• add even more training sessions to our routine
• introduce outrigger paddling to even more people
• get really really pro at V1 and OC1 paddling
• compete as an all-Spain V6 crew in an international event (France, here we come!)
• start a youth program for the next generation
• establish outrigger canoeing as a serious and competitive discipline in Spain

V1 session in the Badalona waters

It's time we caught up with the rest of the world where it has become a craze! If you don't believe us, check for the keywords 'canoa havaiana' and 'OC6' on YouTube and social media, and you'll see what we mean. There is life beyond 'padel' (pun intended), so let's go & paddle, the sea is waiting! If you are interested to try outrigger paddling, wether because you are looking for a new way to get fit, want to feel more connected to sea, enjoy team sports (or prefer it in an individual canoe), or just looking for a unique experience with your friends or your team, reach out to us and we are happy to take you out onto the water!

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