19 Mar 2016

Schweitzer wins longboard

7:34 pm on 19 March 2016
Zane Schweitzer rides the longboard

Zane Schweitzer rides the longboard Photo: Cory Scott

Hawaiian athlete Zane Schweitzer has won the longboard discapline in the Ultimate Waterman competition at Piha.

It was the third discipline Schweitzer has won in this year's competition after a thrilling head-to-head duel with defending champion Daniel Kereopa of New Zealand.

The longboard was held at Auckland's Piha Beach in clean waves of less than one metre.

The win has catapulted Schweitzer into the overall lead, 800 points clear of his closest rival Kereopa.

"My mindset today was to surf to the criteria, speed, power, flow plus style and grace. It is hard when the surf is that small but I had a few fun rides and I got to play with the waves," Schweitzer said after today's discipline.

"I feel grateful to move up the rankings. I have been sitting in fourth place the entire event so to get to the top of the leaderboard is the best feeling."

Kereopa and Schweitzer both nominated the longboard discipline as their double whammy so the runner up finish for Kereopa elevated him to second on the overall standings, but the gap between the two surfers has extended.

Daniel Kereopa

Daniel Kereopa Photo: Cory Scott

Schweitzer first claimed the Prone Paddleboard discipline last weekend before winning the Standup Paadleboard on Wednesday.

Brazilian Caio Vaz finised in third place with American Danny Ching placing fourth.

Ching is expected to be a frontrunner for the final discipline, the 16km Standup Paddleboard.

Later on Saturday the new discipline of Underwater Strength Run and Swim takes place at the National Aquatic Centre.

The athletes will be going into unknown territory and the individual results will be crucial for those chasing Schweitzer as the frontrunner.

Official Results - Longboard Surfing

1st Zane Schweitzer (HAW)

2nd Daniel Kereopa (NZL)

3rd Caio Vaz (BRA)

4th Danny Ching (USA)

5th Mark Visser (AUS)

5th Connor Baxter (HAW)

7th Manoa Drollet (PYF)

7th Kala Alexander (HAW)

Overall Results (after 5/7 disciplines)

1st Zane Schweitzer (HAW)*

2nd Daniel Kereopa (NZL)*

3rd Danny Ching (USA)*

4th Mark Visser (AUS)*

5th Caio Vaz (BRA)*

6th Manoa Drollet (TAH)*

7th Kala Alexander (HAW)*

8th Connor Baxter (HAW)