From Brazilian Waters to the Global Stage

Madera Brava was founded in 2016 by Thiago Zanchet with a clear mission: to create paddles that act as an extension of an athlete’s body and technique. By uniting high-performance engineering with Brazilian identity, the company has built products that meet international standards while reflecting the spirit and demands of paddlers in Brazil and abroad. What makes Madera Brava unique is its relentless drive for innovation, attention to every detail, and close collaboration with elite athletes whose feedback under real race conditions ensures that each model performs at the highest level.

Designing the perfect paddle has always been about balance. A blade that is too light risks losing resistance, one that is too heavy diminishes efficiency, and excessive stiffness can overload the athlete’s joints. Achieving harmony between performance, durability, and weight requires both technical mastery and sensitivity to athletes’ real-world needs. To meet this challenge, Madera Brava turned to TeXtreme®, incorporating it into its premium Pro Performance paddles used by Pan-American champions and internationally recognized competitors.

 Innovation on the Water 

Applying TeXtreme® to the blade construction brought a breakthrough in stiffness-to-weight ratio, delivering thinner laminates, reduced resin content, and a remarkably smooth finish that improves hydrodynamics and aesthetics alike. Compared with conventional composites, TeXtreme® allowed Madera Brava to build paddles that feel lighter, stronger, and more responsive, with immediate power transfer in every stroke.

The integration of TeXtreme® has resulted in a paddle that combines strength with controlled flexibility, giving athletes both confidence and comfort. The crimp-free fibers create a smoother surface for cleaner water entry and exit, while Madera Brava’s unique hybrid layup of carbon, bamboo veneers, and PVC foam core improves absorption of micro-impacts, reducing joint stress during heavy training cycles. This combination has also enabled new design freedoms, allowing the refinement of blade profiles and angles with precision that was previously impossible without sacrificing durability.

Proven in Competition

The results speak for themselves. In 2025, young athletes Kaique Passos and Luan Reis achieved podium finishes at Te Aito in Tahiti using Madera Brava’s Pro Performance paddles reinforced with TeXtreme®. Brazilian and Pan-American titles, along with a World Championship podium in Hawaii, were also secured by paddlers such as Luana Vittorazzo and Gabi Ferreira.

This year’s World Long Distance Championship, held every two years, added even more proof of performance. Kaique Passos won the Under-19 V1 Canoe category, while Luan Reis took second place in the Under-16 V1 Canoe. The Brazilian team claimed victory in the Under-19 V6 Canoes, and Bob Donask won the Para V1 Canoe event. All these achievements came with Madera Brava’s new blade reinforced with TeXtreme® Carbon.

Across categories, the feedback has been consistent: paddles that deliver faster entry and exit, seamless power transfer, structural reliability, and unmatched comfort. As one athlete put it, “The paddle feels like an extension of my body, power, control, and security at sea.”