Battle of the Paddle may 2011

A great race, at a great venue: Waikiki, Honolulu.At the starting line only the world best.
The first day we had the Elite race, a 12'6 Stock class race with a zig zag course through the waves.
We had 4 rounds with each round a run through the chicane.
The start line was very crowded with a 150 on the start line a little mistake can put you right in the middle
My Start wasn't very good. So I was in 40th place right away. battling with the crowd. i never found my rhythm in this race. Every time I came to the outside I had a hard time finding a nice big wave to get back in. Finally the last round I felt strong and started passing people found a good set rode it in all the way and ended being in 20th place not a result I was hoping for. In the mean time Connor my training aprtner did good business. He had a great start and worked hard to get to the front. Danny Ching and Traves battled for 1st pace and Connor and Slater battled for 3rd. In the end Connor just worked harder and got his 3rd place.

The long distance. By now I was all fired up, ready to do better. The wind was light and it was going to be a beautiful light wind down winder, just what I liked.
Connor and I had both a good start in the big field of about a 150 competitors.
Outside we got a little wind and some small bumps. if you worked hard you were able to get some glides. Slowly I worked my way up from 10th to 7 place. Then it was time to start working hard. i took a little more outside route with less risk of getting pounded by the swell which worked out for me. Right behind me some one broke his board. In the bay of Waikiki , in the flats, i just grinded until I got close to the shore and made sure didn't make any mistakes, passing 2 more and getting in 4th place. The last couple of 100 yards i paddled my brains out and came in 4th. Super stoked Connor got in right in front of me in 3rd. So a good day for the team.






relay team TEAM STARBOARD
The the relay. This time we had it figured out. Zane was the starter. He had great starts and get up on the board super fast. Then me, Gillian our girl and finishing was Connor. 2*4 laps.
we had a good start getting in 5th place, at my turn we got to 2nd, Gillian held our position and Connor started working toward the 1st place. After 7 rounds we were close but it came all down to the last 50 yard when Connor past the 1st place girl to get our team 1st place over the finish line.

So a nice weekend of paddling.
Thanks to STARBOARD, DAKINE, Black Project fins and Contour HD for support.

TEAM STARBOARD in the Catalina Challenge & Starboard Pro SUP line

First, here is a nice video Scott made when I was visiting him down under. It shows what the Pro Stand up line is all about.

I use the 8'5 Pro and the 10'3 Gun mostly

The 8'5 is a fun small aggressive and fast board. The 9'1 and 9'8 have a little more glide and are easier to get on the wave but still have fast aggressive scoop rocker line.

The 10'3 GUN is a big wave stand up board. This board handles a lot of speed. I just used this board the last 2 times I was in Jaws. But it is definitely not only for Jaws, this winter I had a lot of good days at the outer reefs here. At some point the smaller boards have their limits when the waves get bigger. With a board like this with a narrower outline you generate more speed with more control and because of the narrow tail you can maintain that control in the turns. On big waves you need the length to get on the wave. Bigger waves have more speed so it is harder to get on them. With a board like this you can get up to speed to get on them.

2 Weeks ago I raced a team race with Ernest Johnson (EJ) in California, TEAM STARBOARD. A 40 mile race between Catalina Island and Dana Point. We raced on the ACE 14' and switched every 30 minutes. Because of the headwind we encountered it took us 7 and a half hours to complete the race. We came in 2nd place in the 14 foot class just a minute behind team quickblade.
Here is a little video I made of the race.

MAUI WINTER

Here is a small impression of a Hawaiian Winter. A few weeks without any blog post. But here is a movie I just made

Waves, Stand Up, Whales, Tropical Green, and lot's of Aloha

MAUI WINTER from Bart de Zwart on Vimeo.

Finally we have strong trades back. Lot's of windsurfing and downwinders in the next days ahead.

SUP Training season starts again. I have been training all winter but in a lighter modus. In 3 weeks we have the first race and from then on the summer through until october.

First race will be the Catalina RACE. A 40 mile 2 man team race from Catalina Island to Dana point. I join EJ in Dana Point for this race. TEAM STARBOARD. Whiiiha

We will make sure we have some footage to show after the race.

ALOHA,

Bart

AUSTRALIA

The DOCTOR SUP Race in Australia


Since a couple of days I am here in Western Australia for THE DOCTOR , Australia's premier SUP race. I met with Scott Mc Kercher, STARBOARD's main board designer and tester, who showed me around in Perth and Rottnest Island.
On the 22nd we left in the morning for Rottnest Island 15 km from the coast. At 1:00 pm
The race started for the Stand Up Boards. First a sprint to the first buoy then 11km slightly from the side and then the remaining 18 km straight form the back. The finish was in Sorrento.
Until last minute I was trying to decide between the ACE 12'6*25 or the RACE 12'6 *29. I decided for the RACE because it just catches a waves easier. The ACE is better in flat water.



Probably the RACE 12'6* 27 would have been my first choice but I would have been impossible to bring that board from Maui with the flight connections I had. But even the slightly wider one I was using is still very very fast.
The wind was a lot lighter then for casted. Everybody started off fast, to win the bonus $500 1-km sprint. Paul Jackson and I were the only ones who could catch on with the two 17 footers in front of us. But still just to fast for us to get to that first mark in 1st. When we got further out we started working the bumps and getting glides. Because of the light winds it was super hard to get a glide but your efforts were double rewarded when you did. After the 1/3 mark I caught up with Courtney on his 17 footer. So I kept working to stay close to Paul Jackson who was just ahead of me.
After 2hrs and 53 minutes I got to the finish in 2nd place with Paul still just 2 minutes ahead of me. It was a hard race and I gave everything.

Thanks to STARBOARD for their SUPER fast boards, Black Project fins, DAKINE and Kanaha Kai Maui.

Top 3, left to Right, Bart 2nd, Andy 3rd and Paul 1st

The water tasted so nice after the race

Jacco ( Paul) and me talking story after the race.

Next race in Margret River on Wednesday. In the mean time Scotty and I will be testing next years boards.

Aloha from Down Under

Kona days and more SUP

After some Kona winds. It is light again. Still plenty of swells.
So lots of Stand Up in the outer reefs.
I am getting to know the new STARBOARD boards.

The Starboard 8'5"* 28.5 PRO is a fun little board for smaller waves. The board turns so fast, you can surf it and work it as a surfboard.

The Gun 10'3 x28.5 is made for the bigger days. Nice thin rails and lots of rocker. It is easier getting on the bigger waves because of it's length and it handles the speed because it is narrow and has the thin rails. If you want it to turn you step back and it makes nice, hard, controlled turns.

The Starboards are already light but the brushed carbon boards are super light. Not only nice to carry and to accelerate to get on the wave but specially with the top turns you feel a big difference.
I am really stoked.
Here is a little video of the last 3 sessions on the outer reefs, Tavares, Kuau and Outer sprecks.
Sometimes with Connor but mostly just by myself.

Glassy and wavy January 9

Just a few shots of today's action in Hookipa. It is a lot smaller but still very nicceeee.
Still a lot more waves coming. The wind died off though. Some Kona is expected for this week.

The swell is still very Northerly which makes everything different in Hookipa.


Some close outs

And some nice ones

Aloha from Maui

Maui on Fire

The year just started but it started off with Hookipa on fire.
A squall gave us a perfect rainbow.
Here are some shots Jimmie Hepp made. He is every day in Hookipa and anywhere else on Maui making awesome shots. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000830216933

Hookipa January 2nd 2011

Squall

Beautiful whale shot from Hookipa

Mark going off, just before he went on the rocks

Mark again, sailing very well , as always

Master Robby Naish with Kai Lenny

Here I Kind of lost my board, my bullet proof smack can withstand anything though

Aloha from Maui