Bart 1st Place in the SUP race event, Big Island

The Stand up World Tour also organized a flat water racing event in Hilo Bay.
a 3 mile course around 3 buoys. Connor and I did well. A great event in combination with the wave event. A beautiful island with beautiful people.

12’6 class 1st Connor ( 3rd overall) Starboard RACE 12'6
14’ class 1st Bart (1st overall) Starboard ACE 14'

Full ranking
12’6 1st Connor Baxter, 2nd Zane Schweitzer, 3rd Matt Becker

14’ 1St Bart de Zwart, 2nd Aaron Napoleon, 3rd John ?

Top 3 14'class

Top 3 12'6 class

The master of the Papahe’enalu (wooden surfboard)

After the race Connor and I visited the Akaka falls

Thanks to

Starboard for a fast board

Black Project Fins for a fast fin

And DaKine for cool wear

Stand Up world Tour Big Island

Kai Lenny wins the last event on the big island and the overall world title in the wave Stand up World tour.
I just came back from the Big Island where I joined the party for Kai with his first world title. His dream was always to win the world title in windsurfing , which took a quick turn when he won the first world tour event in Sunset, Oahu.

Kai

Luau prize giving ceremony


Top 3 World Tour
Kai Lenny, Peyo Lizarazu, Antoine Delpero

Watch the video of the final day.

Medium Swell hits Maui

The last couple of day we had a good North swell hitting Maui's North Shore. Dagmar made some nice shots. I was on my 9'1*29 Still a littyle wide for waves like this. So I am excited about next week when the new 2011 Starboards come in. Specially the new Gun 10'3 *28 a big wave gun born for the Maui winters. Aloha from maui, Bart

Kuau

Lanes

Lanes

Scott Trudon , Hookipa

Just one surf and me in Lanes

Whale encounter in South Africa

The last few days the wind was gone. So we tried our luck in Elands Bay,where a thermal wind sometimes comes up in the afternoon. While waiting for the wind I went for a Stand up paddle session when I encounter a whale who was at least as interested in us as we were in him. here is a short video.

Stand Up Paddle Whale encounter in South Africa from Bart de Zwart on Vimeo.

Aloha from South Africa

First week in South Africa

The first 10 days we had wind non stop. The first couple of days we spend in Langebaan testing 5.3 and 6.0 sails and 95 liter board on flat water.


The water here is very cold mostly between 10-14 degrees. But on the other hand the sun is mostly shining which makes it all bearable again. Unfortunately I won't be able to tell about the results of the test. This you have to read in the magazine. But I can tell you we have 4.7 sails weighing only 2.8 kilos and wave boards with one, two, three and four fins.

Langebaan Photo shoot Flat water

Platboom, Cape of Good Hope board test and 4.7

Platboom, mast high

We were lucky in Platboom where we had perfect conditions for 4.7 and solid waves for 2 days. But heh, it is not Maui, it is rougher, colder and less clean.

The wind is gone now since 2 days, so we do measurements, board shape discussions and photos and off course we have some spare time to go stand up in Elands bay and Swart riet

So far from South Africa,

Aloha, Bart

Off to SURF test South Africa

Since 16 years now I have been testing for the German SURF magazine. A 5 week stay in South Africa where we test dozens and dozens of new 2011 boards and sails.

This year I had 54 hrs flight with layover in Dubai, which is an very interesting place.

Clean, any littering is a $150 fine

Hot, between 25 in the winter and 50 degrees summer

The latest and the greatest, one building is bigger and taller than the other.

Modern, even the bus stops are air conditioned

Here are a few sights of Dubai.

Burj Khalifa With 818 The tallest building in the world

Cheapest room here only $4000 a night...

Huge Hotels, this one with an oversize aquarium.

A couple of hours later, I was sitting in the next plane again to Cape town.

Aloha, this time from Langebaan. South Africa

New Boards and New Waves on Maui

Yesterday we got the NEW 2011 Quads in. They not only look amazing but they are also sophisticated. That's why they are called Quad IQ. They have a clever new box system so you can switch out the front and back fins (onshore bigger fins in the front, side shore smaller fins in the front) and even use the board as a twin fin (skatey feel). All the quads come with 6 fins, 4 for a quad set up or 2 for a twin set up.

2011 QUADs fresh, fast and so turny

Yesterday we had another great swell again. Stand up in the morning and windsurf in the afternoon. Pictures below are made by Simone Reddingius find here on facebook if you need a Maui Photographer.

Bart, Hookipa/Lanes, on a Starboard 9'1 Pro

Kai Lenny, Hookipa

Andy not so Happy, Hookipa

Robby Naish Hookipa/Lanes

I am off to South Africa for the german SURF windsurfing test for the next 4 weeks. I will keep you posted.

Last day in the battle of the paddle

The Starboard team descended on Dana Point for the Third Annual Battle of The Paddle in San Clemente California. October 2nd and 3rd saw 863 paddlers and over 10,000 spectators which made for BOP the largest Stand Up Paddleboard event in the world. This year brought out top athletes from every corner of the world to compete. Starboard's team definitely had the US presence; bringing in our top riders from around the world. The riders brought their best physically and mentally and Declan Sacre brought the best boards for them.

Some of the highlights to catch up on; Starboard SUP Team honors go to Bart De Zwart (52:52) in the open race, riding a 14-foot board out paddled and out maneuvered every size of paddleboard out there to get fastest time. "Because there were so many racers (350) they had staggered starts for the unlimited, 14 foot and 12'6. Connor and Zane went on the 12'6 and me on the 14ft." Said Bart. "The start went well with just about 10 racers ahead of me I slowly started to work my way to the front. With so many racers getting around the buoys was a challenge again. Near the finish I only had 2 unlimited racers seconds in front of me but since they started one minute ahead of me I only had to stay close to get the overall. After the last wave ride I finished right behind the 2 unlimited."

15 year old Connor Baxter did Starboard proud coming in 6th overall in the men's elite is definitely amazing. The testing grounds for athletes to push themselves and their equipment to the limit is the Elite Class. This year it was broadcast live to 60 countries and showed the best paddlers worldwide giving their all to go down in history as the Battle of The Paddle Champion. 160 people in this class, 5 miles, 4 laps, and 100 yard beach sprints, make this battle what it is.

5 laps with a little run every lap. Bart with Jacco just behind

A perfect downwinder Starboard video Connor & Bart

Here is our latest Down wind video. Connor and I going from Maliko to Kanaha on our new 12'6 and 14' Surf race. This video shows what downwinders are all about, lot's of surfing down the windswell.
Aloha, Bart

Video by Bill Boyem

The Battle of the paddle California 2010

The next race is on in 2 days.

The current SUP top is meeting in Dana Point, California. The 5 mile race through the surf on Saturday and 10 mile long distance on Sunday. Check the life reports on

www.rainbowsandals.com/BattleOfthePaddle/CA/

I will keep you posted. Aloha ,Bart

WON the 11-city!

Sorry this post didn't get through yet.
But after hard work and 25hrs of paddeling I won the 11-city tour just 25sec. Ahhoooeha, jsut ahead of Xavier Mazdevall and 5 minutes ahead of Erwin Janssen.

Final press release Mistral SUP 11-City Tour 1-5 September.

Athletes paddle 220 kilometers in 5 days along 11 historical Frisian cities; the ultimate challenge!

The last start of the Mistral SUP 11-City Tour fires at 10 am, Sunday the 5th of September. It is the last stage Dokkum-Leeuwarden where all the final results will be realized. 15 extra SUP enthusiast sign up for the day- stage which results in the largest and most exciting start of 45 suppers sprint away to create themselves a good position in the line up.

The northeast winds, accompanied by happy sunshine, blow the participants for the most part of the day in the back. SUPporters, locals, friends and families accompany the suppers from bridge to bridge from town to town.

World champion ice skater ('96) Annamarie Thomas makes her debut on a SUP as she participates as the 'celeb' of the day. She is being accompanied by Mike van Snek; general director division Mistral Europe. Annamarie announces to participate next year with a team as she is 'hooked' after her first SUP kilometers.

The finish place in Leeuwarden is hard to miss: Tents, beach flags, banners show that there's
something going on. The Red Bull hummer tops it up with upbeat tunes and a solid sound system for speaker Amanda.

Bart de Zwart (Starboard, DAKINE, Kanaha Kai Maui) is the first to cross the finish line in 3:06:43 (over a distance of 26 kilometers). Xavier Masdevall (Rivierapaddelsurf, Ron house, Quick Blade,
PHB.es, Radz Hawaii, Crocs, Prolimit. Gaastra, Tabou, Healthsystem.es) follows him closely with a time of 3:06:48. With his win, Bart de Zwart takes the title of the Mistral SUP 11-City Tour and his winning overall time is: 23:28:55.

Erwin Janssen (Brunotti/ Holland Composites Industrials) crosses the line today in 3:13:13. He is tortured by tendinitis in his wrist and it took him a lot of mental strength to finish this stage. A large group of friends and family were waiting for him at the finish. The result of this day stage is also the result of the overall of the event.

Jenny Kalmbach (Naish, Pure Paddles, 2XU, Dakine, Watermans Applied Science, Kaenon) and
Karen Wrenn (Naish, Kaenon, Kialoa, Vitamin A, On It Pro) finish together in 3:23:26. Anne-Marie Reichman (Roxy clothing, Starboard, Da Kine, SimmerSails) finishes about 16 minutes later with a time of: 3:39:29. Karen her overall time is impressive: 25:17:53. She is actually 1 second in front of Jenny, but the girls like to tie in the overall result.

Besides the fun and pride to complete the tour, the competition is fierce beyond the teams. Team Hightide and Kite Mobile battle for first place. Kite Mobile safes their 'power house' for the last and wins the final stage – which gives them the overall team title. Their total time is 26:38:54. Team Hightide comes second with a time of 26:52:53. Starboard-SUPmagazine team is happy with their third place with a total time of 27:22:48.

The free SUP clinics, organized Starboard and Naish, are also the last day of the event a huge success. People of all ages get their first introduction to SUP.


Overall female winners:
1.Karen Wrenn 25:17:53
2.Jenny Kalmbach: 25:17:54
3.Anne-Marie: 26:45:15

The SUP 11-City Tour is proud to present equal prize money for men and women.


Overall male winners:
1.Bart de Zwart 23:28:55
2.Xavier Masdevall 23:29:18
3.Erwin Janssen 23:34:45

Drama and excitement in the SUP 11 city tour

Yesterday disaster struck when after being 9 minutes ahead Xavi and I missed a turn and paddled 9 km extra. Today was decided that the extra time will be cut in half, which leaves us with a 21 min. penalty.
Today was a new race with new changes. We had the same racers in the lead, Erwin, Xavi and I and Bellard following. Since we had to make up time we went hard and sprinted away from Erwin just before the half way break. When Xavi and I came to Franeker we sprinted to thee finish again. A long 1.5 km sprint where Xavi took off , I caught up , Xavi almost got caught in fishing line, I got the inside curve and took over and finished just ahead of Xavi. A hard long day. Erwin came in 9 min later followed by Bellard from Spain. Jenny Kalbach came in first in the women division just ahead of her friend Karen. Two more days and this 220 km race is over. Tomorrow they call for head wind, another grueling day in Frysland.
Aloha from Holland
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The 220 km 11 city race is on

Day 1
Today was the start of 11 city tour. A five day race. We started at 9:00. A few racers from last year returned and many new competitors. The maximum length for the sup boards is 16 foot. I race on the Starboard K15, made for flatwater racing.
Like last year every body sprinted away at the start. With 45 km to go. Soon we had Xavier Mazdevall from Spain, Erwin Jansen from Holland and me at the front. After 15 minute break Xavi and I took off and battled each other for hours. In the end 1 km from the finish we were still together. We decided to sprint for the finish the last 500 meters. At that piont we were allready very tired. At the finish I could the race for me with xavi right behind finish time was 4hrs and 55min. Erwin came in 3rd 7 min later. After a good massage we have to eat a lot to make up for everything lost today. Day 2. Starts tomorrow at 9:00.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Sup World cup Hamburg II

This event takes place in the middle of Hamburg in the habour.
We started the sprint final at 12.00. Paul from Australia, Xavier Masdevall from Spain, Eric Terrien from France, Jerry Bliss from Hawaii, John Hibert from the UK, and me. The sprint is lap of 1km around 2 bouys.
Here in Hamburg I have been using a 14' NEW Starboard, it is fast but I had to adjust my turns because with these board you can't step back. So you turn solely around your paddle.

At the start Eric took off and took the lead. I was fourth, then third , and then second at the first bouy. I thought this was going great. When I went around the bouy with someone hit me hard on the tail which threw me of my board. Before I was on my board again I was in fifth place and very angry. At the second bouy I caught up with the 4th. I gave everything until the finish but I was one board length shy of John Hibert who came in 3rd. Eric 1st and Xavi 2nd.
For the long distance 14ft race, I only had a 12'6 to my disposal. So I knew I didn't stand a change against all the 14 footers. But I tried anyway. In the mean time there were a lot of spectators lined up , a big crowd, all cheering on.
After 10 km it was Eric again in 1st, Paul in 2nd and Jerry in 3rd. I came in 10th.
In all ,a great event. But I leave with mixed feelings. In 2 days we start the 11~city tour in Holland. I will post some pictures later today.
Aloha
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Sup World Cup Hamburg

After many hours of flying, finally in the Netherlands. The next day Xavi Mazdeval , met me to go to Hamburg, Germany for the Sup world cup. more than 150 amateurs and 50 pros. On the first day we had 2 rounds of qualifying. Today we will have the final. I came though the rounds of the sprints and we have 6 in the final. To see what it's like check www.supworldcup.com . The weather is windy , rainy and rather cold. I check back later with more sup action and results. Aloha from brrr Gemany
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OLUKAI Stand Up race 2010

The RACE was on a again.
More competitors than ever and good conditions this year.
After a short but nice ceremony we all went on the water and lined up for the start.

I got a F14 from Connor Baxter the day before the race, a fast board but the conditions weren't fitting for this board and I had not enough practise on this rudder board. I fell of 5 times and couldn't get the glides. I am still disappointed about my result. But I am happy for Connor 4th and Livio 1st, their hard work paid off.

Two helicopters and and more than 200 racers

Just after the start the F14 F16 and F18 pull away from the rest of the field.

Livio came in after 53.36 minutes. First ever win for him, well earned.

Happy Livio.

Andrea got first in the women's Elite

I came in 15th in the Elite.

DAKINE

From left top right Ive, Me, Allen, Jeremy, Jack, Mark and Livio

Connor 15 yrs old, got 4 th place and did very well.