Flatwater Paddles
Flatwater paddles are racing paddles for canoe sprint and marathon, the Olympic discipline raced on calm water over 500 m and 1000 m. Kayakers sit in K1, K2 and K4 boats and use a double-bladed wing paddle. Canoeists kneel in C1 and C2 boats and use a single-bladed paddle on one side. G’Power makes these sprint kayak paddles and sprint canoe paddles by hand in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland, with 100% carbon blades and shafts on all adult race models.
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Canoe Paddles
Carbon Fiber Paddles
Carbon Fiber Paddles
Flatwater Canoe Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Carbon Fiber Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Canoe Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Flatwater Kayak Paddles
Sprint kayak paddles: G'Power models compared
A sprint kayak paddle is a double-bladed paddle with wing blades, built for K1, K2 and K4 racing. The wing blade moves out and away from the boat during the stroke, so it holds the water better than a flat blade. The table lists every G'Power sprint and marathon kayak paddle with its blade area and weight from the product pages:
| Model | Blade area (cm²) | Weight | Made for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watertech | 860 | ~780 g | strong sprinters and heavier paddlers, short distances |
| Nitro | 805 | ~760 g | light sprinters and strong marathon paddlers, 3-10 km |
| Cyclone | 725 / 750 / 830 | ~720-740 g | beginner and intermediate racers with a wider, less vertical stroke |
| Galaxy II | 705 / 725 / 750 / 830 | ~650-740 g | powerful flatwater paddlers, surfski and downriver |
| Galaxy | 705 / 725 | ~680-700 g | lighter women and men, sprint and marathon |
| Ultralight | 745 | ~710 g | sprint and marathon racing |
| Maverick | 715 | ~720 g | high stroke rate over 20 km and more, surfski |
| Hurricane | 760 / 780 | ~680-700 g | marathon in waves, wind chop and river current |
Every model in the table has a 29 mm shaft and Monocoque construction, which joins blade and shaft in one piece. Most come in Hard, Medium and Soft stiffness. Hard suits 200-1000 m sprint, and Medium or Soft suits marathon distances.
Sprint canoe paddles for C1 and C2
A sprint canoe paddle is a single-bladed paddle with a T-grip, used kneeling in C1 and C2 racing canoes. G'Power sizes its canoe paddles by blade width in millimetres, so a Tomahawk 2 in size 225 has a 225 mm wide blade. A wider blade moves more water on each stroke and puts more load on the shoulders.
| Model | Sizes (blade width, mm) | Blade area (cm²) | Blade shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution 2 | 225-245 | 1023-1121 | asymmetric, wing-like cross-section, grooves on the inner face, ergonomic handle |
| Tomahawk 2 | 200-250 | 908-1136 | symmetrical, concave inner face with stabilising ridges, 490-570 g |
| Tomahawk 2 EXTREME | XS-XL | 782-860 | Tomahawk 2 shape in Spread Tow carbon, 470 g in size M, metal tips |
| Tomahawk | 210-230 | 959-1024 | symmetrical, short and wide, for advanced paddlers |
| Apache | 200-215 | 975-1030 | classic thin symmetrical blade, stable for beginners |
A symmetrical blade works the same on the left and right side, so one paddle fits a canoeist who switches sides in training. The asymmetric Evolution blades are made for short, fast sprint distances.
Marathon kayak paddles
A marathon kayak paddle has a smaller blade than a sprint paddle, because a marathon race lasts hours and the paddler holds a high stroke rate the whole way. Maverick (715 cm²) is the G'Power choice for races over 20 km, and its small blade lowers the shoulder load on each stroke. Hurricane has a hybrid blade that stays steady in waves and river current, where a pure sprint blade can flutter. Galaxy and the smaller Galaxy II sizes work for marathon and surfski, and Nitro covers 3-10 km races.
How to choose a sprint paddle size
The right sprint paddle size depends on your strength and race distance. A bigger blade gives more power per stroke, and a smaller blade allows a higher stroke rate with less fatigue. Lighter paddlers, women and juniors usually race on the smaller blades, such as Galaxy S or Maverick. Heavier and very strong sprinters move up to Watertech or Cyclone L.
Paddle length is set when you order. Most models can be glued at a fixed length or fitted with the QNECT connector, which adjusts the length within 10 cm and the feather angle from 0° to 85° in 5° steps. QNECT aluminium is made for fresh water, and QNECT composite resists impact and salt water. The sprint kayak paddle guide explains blade area, shaft stiffness, feather angle and length in detail.
Paddles for juniors
G'Power makes two flatwater paddles for children. Adept MEDIUM and Adept HARD are kayak paddles with a 650 cm² blade, a 28 mm shaft and 25-30% carbon, which keeps the price lower for club training. Tomahawk Mini is a small version of the Tomahawk 2 canoe paddle with an 801 cm² blade and a weight of 570 g, made for children who start in a canoe.
Olympic medals on G'Power sprint paddles
G'Power sprint paddles have won Olympic gold in canoe sprint. Sebastian Brendel (Germany) won C1 1000 m gold at London 2012 and Rio 2016, plus C2 1000 m gold at Rio 2016, on the G'Power BIONIC canoe paddle. Beata Mikołajczyk-Rosolska (Poland) took Olympic silver in K2 500 m in 2008 and bronze in 2012 and 2016. Sabrina Hering-Pradler and Steffi Kriegerstein won K4 500 m silver for Germany at Rio 2016. The full list is on the G'Power team page.
The founder, Rafał Głażewski, raced sprint kayak for Poland at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympics. He designs the blades, and the G'Power workshop works with 3D CAD/CAM software and a Lambda VTS 5D CNC milling machine.
Ordering a flatwater paddle
G'Power ships flatwater paddles from Poland and works with more than 40 distributors on six continents. Each paddle can carry your own graphics from the online paddle design editor. For help with blade size or length, call +48 883 44 22 44 (Monday to Friday, 7:00-15:00 CET) or write to kontakt@gpowersport.com.
Frequently asked questions
A wing paddle is a sprint kayak paddle with a spoon-shaped blade that moves out and away from the boat during the stroke. The blade holds the water better than a flat blade, which is why K1, K2 and K4 racers use wing paddles.
G'Power sprint canoe paddles for adults have blades 200-250 mm wide. G'Power names its canoe sizes by blade width, so size 225 is a 225 mm blade. Stronger paddlers and shorter races suit a wider blade.
Maverick is the G'Power marathon paddle for races over 20 km, with a 715 cm² blade for a high stroke rate. Hurricane suits marathons in waves and river current. Nitro covers races of 3-10 km.
Yes, if you order it with the QNECT connector. QNECT adjusts the length within 10 cm and the feather angle from 0° to 85° in 5° steps, and it splits the paddle in two for transport.