Hawaiian Zane Schweitzer has just won the inaugural SUP Foil category race in the 26 mile (42 km) Pailolo Channel crossing from Maui to Moloka’i as part of the 2018 M2M Crossing, in doing so he set a new channel crossing record time, and won the overall classification, beating all other crafts including traditional outriggers, surf skis and unlimited SUPs!
The Maui based waterman raced with the Starboard 6’9″ x 23″ Hyper Nut Carbon with a GoFoil Iwa just beneath the surface. Zane wasn’t alone in completing giving credit to his family and friends for their support in helping him realize this dream. He was also pushed hard all the way to the finish line by mentor and friend Dave Kalama.
The wind started to die and the swell dropped too as we neared our finish at Kaunakakai Harbor on Molokai, and I knew this was a good time for me to take advantage of the hard sprint, interval and pump training Larry Cain (Paddle Monster) has had me on for the past 3 months. Shortly after the wind and swell died off, we then felt the wind in our face – with almost 4 miles still to go!”
“I kept sprinting and pumping and flying for short burst as much as I could, through my cramps and exhaustion until finally, my board touched down for the last time and I was unable to get airborne again, to paddle home the last 2 miles or so on my 6’9” Hyper Nut and Iwa GoFoil both fully submerged. Dave was on an even shorter board than mine so I just had to keep going, padding and grinding, knowing that uncle Dave was also pushing water and pulling a foil.”
“It was a tough paddle when landing in those last roughly 2 miles of flats, leaving me to drag the foil on only a 6’9” SUP after pumping for hard for 23 miles, but man, was it a fun session and run filled with countless epic full-speed drops and rides I couldn’t even time they were so long!!”He concluded by adding “A big mahalo to my team for the support firstly to my Dad and his crew on the escort boat, Uncle Joe and uncle Scott Shoemaker, my coaches Larry Cain (Paddle Monster), Uncle Braddah Kamansi (Native Action) and my brother Matty Schweitzer! Also mahalo to my supporters and sponsors for the best equipment, Starboard with the 6’9” HyperNut, GoFoil Iwa, 5’ Revolwe BioLeash, VestPak Hydration, and as well Kim Yap and Donica Shouse for the meal prep and race fuel!”
18 Nov 2024
Esperanza Barreras, one of the most dominant athletes in the SUP Racing world, heads into the 2024 ICF SUP World Championships in Sarasota, Florida, as the reigning ICF champion in both the Technical Race and Long Distance categories. Known for her remarkable consistency and versatility across all racing disciplines, the Starboard dream team rider has […]
15 Nov 2024
The Gran Canaria Pro is back! Taking place in the stunning southwest of Gran Canaria on 7th of December, this open international SUP event welcomes paddlers of all levels to race in one of the best SUP destinations in the world. With warm December temperatures averaging 26°C and courses tailored for both experienced competitors and […]
13 Nov 2024
The 2025 Starboard stand up paddle range has officially dropped, once again demonstrating that Starboard designs to benefit every paddler, ensuring to deliver an exceptional experience for all. Starboard proves once again the brand has been committed to making stand-up paddleboarding accessible to all, raising the bar with its dedication to uncompromising quality and ocean […]
11 Nov 2024
Aneesh Kumar, a passionate 12-year-old environmental advocate from Chennai, has made headlines in India by becoming the first boy to paddle across three Indian states—Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Pondichéry —on a stand-up paddleboard back in May, and receiving a World Book of Records certificate in August. His inspiring journey covering 350 kilometers from Pondicherry […]
23 Oct 2024
In just two and a half years, Starboard SUP racer Alba Alonso Frey from Spain has made a meteoric rise in the world of SUP racing. Recently crowned the 2024 ISA Sprint World Champion, Alba also helped Team Spain claim the Nations World Champion title at the ISA World Championships in Copenhagen. In a thrilling […]
9 Oct 2024
With downwind foiling booming all across the globe, Starboard has unveiled two groundbreaking products just in time for two major international Downwind SUP Foil events in France – the Crozon Foil Festival and LAST Les Ailes de Saint Tropez. The Ace Foil Lightning board and the Foil Blade are designed to push the limits of […]
8 Oct 2024
The 2024 Busan SUP Open delivered thrilling racing across two action-packed days, with standout performances from some of the world’s top paddlers. On Day 1, NSP rider Christian Andersen dominated the surf sprints, powering through a tough field that included four-time ISA World Champion Shuri Araki and Starboard’s Aaron Sanchez. His victory in the sprint […]
7 Oct 2024
The 2024 Agios Nikolaos on SUP, held in the stunning coastal town of Agios Nikolaos, Greece, marked the fourth stop of the ICF SUP circuit as this year’s only SUP World CUP . This prestigious event, which ran from September 27 to 29, attracted an impressive roster of athletes from 17 countries, competing across three […]
4 Oct 2024
La 18ème édition du Fort Boyard Challenge a offert un spectacle exceptionnel de Stand Up Paddle, avec deux journées de course très contrastées. Sous un soleil radieux, la première journée a vu les riders s’affronter sur une longue distance de 16 km en pleine mer, autour du mythique Fort Boyard. Le lendemain, sous une pluie […]
