> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hornetwatersports.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Hornet Watersports: History, Partnerships, and Championship Experience > Hornet Watersports history since 2014, IDBF approval, championship sponsorships, federation relationships, community paddle donations, and custom team projects. 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. ## Hornet at a Glance | Milestone or credential | Hornet record | | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Founded | 2014 | | IDBF manufacturer status | Listed in the official IDBF directory of approved dragon boat paddle manufacturers | | Sting+ and STEALTH license | IDBF license 3525 | | Original STING license | IDBF license 3523 | | 2015 IDBF World Championships | Gold Sponsor of the 12th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Welland, Ontario, Canada | | 2016 EDBF European Nations Championships | Official paddle sponsor and creator of the Custom Italia Design event paddle | | IBCPC relationship | Product partnership publicly documented since February 7, 2018 | | 2026 IBCPC role | Official Paddle Partner of the IBCPC Dragon Boat Festival in Aix-les-Bains, France | | Dragon Boat Canada projects | Historical Official Paddle Partner relationship, co-branded paddles, and 2019 Hall of Fame commemorative paddles | | Community support | Paddle donations to youth organizations, breast cancer survivor fundraisers, military veteran organizations and teams, and other community initiatives | | Custom team experience | Custom paddle programs for more than 100 teams worldwide | ## 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. Read more about our company and product development history. ## 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. Confirm our approved manufacturer status directly through the IDBF. Review our license numbers and IDBF approval information. ## 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. View the official IDBF record of the 2015 championship in Welland, Canada. ## 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. View our event report, the Custom Italia Design paddle, and photographs from Rome. ## 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. Read our February 7, 2018 partnership announcement. View the IBCPC page identifying Hornet as an official gear provider and 2026 Official Paddle Partner. ## 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. ### 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. View the co-branded X1 Official Dragon Boat Canada Clamp paddle. View the co-branded X1 Official Dragon Boat Canada Leverlock paddle. ### 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. Learn about the Dragon Boat Canada Hall of Fame and its inductees. ## Championship Experience ### 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 Read our event report from Adelaide, Australia. ## 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. | Organization | Documented relationship | | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | International Dragon Boat Federation | Current approved paddle manufacturer status, Gold Sponsor of the 12th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in 2015, and Bronze Partner relationship in our partnership records | | International Breast Cancer Paddlers' Commission | Product partnership publicly documented since 2018 and Official Paddle Partner of the 2026 IBCPC Dragon Boat Festival | | European Dragon Boat Federation | Historical Official Paddle Partner relationship, official paddle sponsor of the 12th EDBF European Nations Championships in 2016, and creator of the Custom Italia Design event paddle | | Dragon Boat Canada | Historical Official Paddle Partner relationship, co-branded Dragon Boat Canada paddles, and 2019 Hall of Fame commemorative paddles | | New Zealand Dragon Boat Association | Official Paddle Partner relationship in our partnership records | | Dragons Abreast | Official Paddle Partner relationship in our partnership records | Review our documented federation, association, and paddler organization relationships. ## 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. ## 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. ## 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 Learn how we develop custom paddles for teams, clubs, programs, and bulk orders. Contact us about custom graphics, commemorative paddles, team designs, and bulk orders.