15 Years of the Singapore Country of Origin Race: 200 Paddlers, 12 Nations, One Community
- Jul 3, 2025
- 3 min read
Some races are about times and trophies. The Singapore Country of Origin is about something else entirely.
On 28 June 2025, the 15th edition of the Singapore Country of Origin (COO) race brought together around 200 locally-based outrigger canoeists from 12 nations along the shores of Aloha Sea Sports Centre at East Coast Park. They came not just to race — but to represent, to celebrate, and to carry forward one of the most unique traditions on Singapore's ocean paddling calendar.
The event caught the attention of Singapore's national media — covered by both The Straits Times, which explored the tight-knit community of paddlers who train around busy lives drawn back year after year by camaraderie, and Lianhe Zaobao, which spotlighted Singapore's growing ambition in the global Va'a calendar.
A Race Like No Other
What makes COO unlike any other event in Singapore's sporting calendar is its format. Paddlers do not race as club teams or national squads. They race as countries — community-based crews proudly flying the flags of their home nations on the waters of East Coast Park.
This year's field included teams representing Singapore, France, New Zealand, Japan, Hungary, Ukraine, Australia, the United States, and more — 12 nations in total.
The host duties this year fell to Team France, continuing the event's beloved tradition of rotating hosting responsibilities among participating nations — following on from Team Ukraine, who hosted the 2024 edition.
What began years ago as a friendly gathering among expatriate paddlers has since evolved into one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures on Singapore's ocean paddling calendar — blending high-intensity mid-distance sprint racing with the kind of cross-cultural camaraderie that is rare in competitive sport.
A Unique Cultural Tradition Built on Water
The 15th edition carried particular weight. His Excellency Stephen Marchisio, Ambassador of France to Singapore, honoured the event with his presence and personally presented trophies to the winning teams — a moment that underscored just how much COO has grown beyond a grassroots race into something that resonates at a broader cultural and diplomatic level.
Xavier Marle Keutch, one of the lead organisers and co-founder of Va'a Team France Singapore, captured the spirit of the event well:
"COO is one of the rare races that brings together grassroots and seasoned athletes in one celebratory setting. It's a unique cultural tradition built on water."
That blend — grassroots and elite, local and international, competitive and celebratory — is precisely what has kept COO going for 15 editions and counting.
See You on the Water
Fifteen editions in, COO shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, the community around it grows warmer, deeper, and more diverse with every passing year.
The water brings us together. COO reminds us why we stay.
And if you have been watching from the sidelines and wondering whether outrigger canoeing is for you — it is. Singapore has five active and welcoming outrigger canoe clubs, and every single one of them started with someone who had never picked up a paddle before.
Don't hesitate to reach out to any of our clubs :
As Featured In
The 15th Singapore Country of Origin race was covered by Singapore's national press, reflecting the sport's growing profile in the mainstream sporting conversation:
🗞️ The Straits Times — Outrigger canoeing makes waves among Singapore paddlers
🗞️ Lianhe Zaobao — 我国明年首办舷外支架独木舟世界冲刺锦标赛
