Le  AS Dragon de Pirae Club  continues its rise and establishes itself as one of the driving forces behind the development of  padel in French Polynesia Created at the beginning of 2025, the padel section of this Tahitian sports institution has experienced spectacular growth in just a few months. Now boasting  240 members She harbors great ambitions, both locally and internationally, with her sights set on a first participation in the  International Club Cup Padel (CICP) 2026  à  Malaga .

Rapid growth driven by a solid organization

Officially launched on  1st January 2025 The AS Dragon padel section has quickly established itself as a benchmark in Polynesia. Integrated into one of the oldest multi-sports clubs in Tahiti, founded by Arthur Chung, it benefits from exceptional momentum.

At its head,  Raimana Ho A 48-year-old teacher-researcher, he wanted to build a modern club based on balanced governance. The board thus comprises  9 members including  4 women , a deliberate choice.

"At AS Dragon, nearly 50% of padel players are women. It was therefore natural that they should be strongly represented in our management."

To preserve the quality of practice on the  two outdoor lit tracks The club deliberately limits the number of members to avoid overcrowding. This policy is accompanied by ongoing activities with...  Americano tournaments ,  afterworks ,  initiations  and sessions of  specific physical preparation for padel .

An ambitious project: five covered runs

Faced with ever-growing enthusiasm, the club is already preparing the next stage of its development.

The objective is clear:  to expand from two to five fields  thanks to the creation of  three new tracks while covering all facilities. A strategic investment that will allow play all year round despite tropical climatic conditions and accommodate a growing number of players.

This ambition also relies on the performances of the club's best players, such as  Noah Ah Kim Win Chin , recent winner of the Polynesian second series tennis championship, symbol of a generation of athletes capable of excelling in several disciplines.

A historic first at the CICP in Malaga

The year 2026 will mark an important milestone for the club with a historic participation in the  International Club Cup Padel , organized in  Malaga , the birthplace of world padel.

The Tahitian delegation will be composed of:

  •  4 players 
  •  2 females 

For  Raimana Ho This adventure goes far beyond a simple sporting result.

“We have built a competitive team by combining youth and experience. Our goal is to represent Polynesian padel with dignity, but above all to learn, exchange ideas, and progress.”

In order to prepare for this deadline, the players will  a week-long internship in Spain  before the start of the competition.

The president particularly wants to allow his athletes to assimilate the Spanish padel culture.

"We want to absorb the Iberian tactical approach and develop a true padel spirit among players who mostly come from tennis or badminton."

Strengthening ties with Europe

The international development of Club Dragon also involves its closer ties with the European Association of Clubs Padel (AECP) .

The first exchanges date back to 2025 during a tournament organized by AS Phénix, where  Raimana Ho  had met  Claude Baigts Since then, discussions have intensified.

Among the projects under consideration is the organization of a  international competition in Tahiti with Club Dragon as the host organization. A prospect welcomed with enthusiasm by the president, who says he is ready to work with other clubs in Polynesia to bring this initiative to fruition.

At the local level, relations are also excellent with the  Tahitian Tennis Federation , which recently created a department entirely dedicated to padel. Raimana Ho sits there as a representative, actively participating in the development of the sport in the territory.

Aerial view of blue padel courts with players in orange and green shirts, surrounded by tall fences and benches along the sidelines.

Heading towards the 2027 Pacific Games

The opportunities don't stop in Malaga.

En  2027 Tahiti will host the  Pacific Games , a major event for the entire region. While padel is not yet on the official program, AS Dragon will be at the heart of the organization since its complex will host the competitions  tennis  and  volleyball .

On this occasion, the site will benefit from significant investments with the creation of  three new tennis courts  and the complete renovation of the multi-sports hall.

All these improvements will further enhance the attractiveness of the complex and offer Club Dragon Padel an ideal environment to continue its development.

An emerging padel leader in the Pacific

In just eighteen months of existence, the  AS Dragon Club  has become one of the most structured clubs in French Polynesia. Between growth in the number of members, infrastructure projects, opening up to Europe and international ambition, the padel section confirms its desire to establish itself permanently among the major players in the development of the sport in the Pacific.

Participation in the  CICP 2026 of Malaga  This will constitute an important first step in this adventure that seems to be only just beginning.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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