Zane's World

ASR Trade Show

2010-02-02T18:39:02Z

Aloha,

I have been traveling a lot the last few weeks with Starboard and Maui Jim Sunglasses. We have been every where; Orlando, Coco Beach, Long Beach, San Diego, Big Bear, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Oakland, San Francisco, San Clemente and back down to San Diego for the ASR trade show. Now I am on Oahu for the Waterman League Sunset Pro. It was so fun experiencing and traveling all around Florida and California for Trade Shows, contests and photo-shoots. I am very thankful to Starboard and Maui Jims to fly me around and

The ASR Trade Show is a big event for San Diego, all of the booths are extreme sports companies and swim suit runways.

Getting the Starboard Booth ready for the show.

One of the Runways.

On the way down to the ASR trade we came across this awesome pier filled with at lease a hundred seals. We threw our boards in the water and got some cool shots with all the seals and us stand up paddling.

I only attended the first day of the ASR trade show so I could make it to Oahu in time for the first event of the Stand up world tour Waterman League!

Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco

2010-01-29T17:40:00Z

Aloha,

Once we were satisfied with the great waves we had in Santa Barbara, Margareta, Dan, Nikki, Brian and I headed toward San Francisco hoping to get some shots at Alcatraz, under the Golden Gate bridge and at some other fun but FREEZING surf spots.

Brian, Nikki, Margareta and I before our paddle to Alcatraz.

When all of us got out to Alcatraz after a 1.4 mile paddle to it, we were stoked! It was really weird to be sneaking onto Alcatraz rather than sneaking out. About half way out to the prison we all got caught in a big rip current that was traveling at 5 knots! We still made it out to Alcatraz, but just with a little more effort. While we were shooting, the coast guard approched us. They told us that we were illegal because we did not have a PFD (personal floatation device), and a signaling device.

After our Alcatraz sesh we went under the Golden gate bridge at a surf spot called Fort Point. It was really fun but deffinatly special just because you feel so small under the huge bridge. We also checked out another beach down the way that was also fun. I ended up being the only one going out. Brian bet me that I would not last more than 10 minutes without a wetsuit in the waves and also without a leash. So Just because of that I had to stay out an extra 30 minutes freezing.

Me when we were in Santa Barbara.

From Hano Hano Race in San Diego to Snow in Big Bear

2010-01-27T10:49:55Z

Aloha,

Saturday was a awesome day just like every other day! Margareta, Sean and I woke up early at Sean’s house in Long Beach and started to head to San Diego for the Hano Hano SUP race. This was a small course, but it was really fun and filled with a lot of great competitors. The total amount of competitors in the whole event was around 200, about 80 of which were SUP. The race was really fun and overall put together great! I ended up finishing 6^th overall out of all the SUP competitors, unfortunately they did not have a under 20 division but a 6^th out of all the older guys and Brandy was good enough for me!

Directly after the awards, Sean, Margareta and I shot it up to Big Bear because we heard it was getting dumped with snow a foot everyday and every night. All of us were so excited to see the snow again and to go snowboarding and stand-up-paddle snow surfing. When we got to the mountain after a 3 and a half hour drive, there were police blocking of the entrance to the highway that led up the mountain. They were stopping people from going up because there had been a dangerous amount of snow and they didn't want anyone driving in the icy conditions. This was a huge buzz kill, our plan was to rough it out in a near by hotel and then leave early in the morning before the police were there, and this was exactly what we did. We woke up early and got to the bottom of the highway and we stoked to see nobody there, so we started our mission again up the mountain.

As you can see, I was super excited to see snow again!

There was easily 5 feet of powder everywhere!

Off course we had to get some shots for Starboard before we went up the lifts, so we hiked up a small but steep mountain with a 8' SUP board which is a lot harder than you think, especially when your waking in 4 feet of powder up to your waist. Every body we passed were so baffled and confused to see these boards up in the mountain, but then again everyone was interested to see how it turned out.

Our fist run up!

Unfortunately we did not make it to Big Bear because there was to much new snow fall, and once again there were police blocking the entrance to Big Bear mountain. So we ended up just going to the mountain lifts before it called Snow Valley.

It was unreal to be at the beach one day then up in the mountains having a blast snowboarding the next.

Our unfortunate visit to this place brought a minor set back to our plans. Sean was ripping up the mountains a little to hard and dislocated his shoulder. I remember seeing him riding towards me with his right shoulder considerably lower than his left, as he approached me he told me this, "Okay Zane, on three pull my shoulder as hard as you can towards the ground then push it up back into the socket". I told him no way, we are going to mountain patrol. Mountain patrol told us they cannot do anything about it and they sent us to the hospital where the doctor can x ray everything and put the shoulder back into place. Sean said the pain was immediately relieved when his shoulder was back in the right spot but still the doctor said no way he could go surfing.

A few of my friends from Maui who go to SBCC that I called up when we got back down the mountain to shoot some wave shots in Santa Barbara. We bought some steak and had a killer BBQ at our house we rented in Ventura for the two days we were shooting in Santa Barbara. After SB, Sean had to head it back home and get his arm some rest.

San Diego and Brian Szymanski's Shaping Room

2010-01-23T04:52:00Z

Aloha,

The weather was again acting up so we couldn't get in the water for SUP. Margareta, Sean and I drove down from Long Beach 90 minutes down from the coast to San Diego Cove. We were hoping that the weather might have been nicer there and we could get out in the water for the shoot, but still raining, and blown out with lighting and thunder.

We made the most out of every situation as always and toured around town and checked out Brian Szymanski at his shop where he shapes boards.

Baby seal we found on the Cove beach.

Margareta, Sean and I being tourists at the Cove.

When we showed up to Brian's shop, he had an awesome new board that he just shaped for us to airbrush. He wanted each of us to airbrush a quarter of the board.

My section of the board.

Sean getting into it!

Margareta having fun with it and going with the flow, Natural air brusher.

Brian showing us how.

The after math of it all! Brian had the bottom left, Margareta had the bottom right, Sean had the top right, and I had the top left.

Santa Monica and Long Beach Photo-Shoot with Starboard

2010-01-21T03:35:00Z

Aloha all,

After Dinner last night we got to bed early because we had to wake up at 4:00 to make my flight out of Orlando. When I got to LA my moms friend Stacy Chandler picked me up and I ended up staying a night with her. Then the next morning she drove me to Long Beach to meet up with some of the Starboard team for the first day of the California photo-shoot. Unfortunatly the weather was terable, the water was freezing and so was the air, there was lightning and thunder, and the water was dark as the dirt from all of the rain in the previous days.

Damian, Stacy, her daughter Shannon Paige, and I holding a original windsurfer boom from 1987.

Japanese Sample 8/24/78

Since the weather was so bad, we couldn't get out into the water, but we did get some really funky lifestyle shots with an old school jeep and some of the colorful SUP boards. Tomorrow Ill have some more shots up on this shoot.

This is Rob and Judie Vivian, they are friends with my parents and they live right at Seal beach, so they came down to say hi and give me some warmer cloths and food! Judie is also a great artist who has drawn a portrait of my sister and I!

Surf Exposition Day 2 and 3, Coco Beach with Beth and Greg Winkler, and late evening SUP Session with Josh Sampiero

2010-01-18T15:57:21Z

Aloha,

Once again another awesome day at the surf expo! I met a lotof really cool people and had a lot of fun! There were skate parks, indoor poolfor SUP, food courts, runways for swim suit models and a whole lot of booths.

On the second day a few companies arranged the first everindoor SUP race at the Trade Show. There was a girls division and a mendivision, this was a big attraction for a lot of the people who haven’t seenSUP ever done and also for the people who are out there everyday. 1^stplace for the girls was big wave champ Kainoa’s girl friend, Kalani, and forthe men division I took home 1^st against Kainoa and Slater Trout.

Ekolu Kalama, Honora, and I.

The Maui Jim Team and I.

Up and Coming Grom at the Starboard booth.

Kainoa and I after the heat between us.

Kainoa and I before the start of our heat.

Mahalo to Tavik clothing for letting me use their shorts during the contest.

Anne Feeter, daughter of Clay Feeter, the founder of Stand Up Journal, Slater Trout and I.

Anna, Kirra Feeter and I

After the surf Expo I headed out to Coco Beach to meet up with Beth and Greg Winkler, I ended up staying there for two nights. We had a really fun time together, we did some windsurfing and SUP while we were there.

Beth Winkler and I at her house.

This is their house that I stayed in about three years ago with Connor for the Midwinters in Merritt Island.

SUP sesh in front of Beth and Gregs house.

One of the near by beaches called the Pier. Iain McFarland is one of the local SUP riders in Coco beach area and is also a life guard at this beach. He got this small 4x4 golf cart to take all of our boards down to the beach where we taught a group of 8 girls to SUP.

Once I finished the lesson I got out of the water and checked my phone and had 6 missed calls from my mom. When I called her back she asked if I made it onto my flight okay, I was freaking out thinking that my flight was Tuesday at 2 instead of Monday at 2. I ended up called US airways and they said if I made it to the airport before 4 they will get me another flight with no extra charges. So I rushed to Beth and Greg's house and packed my bag, within 5 minutes we were out the door and heading to the airport.

When I got to the airport I was told that the next flight out that I could get on was Tuesday morning at 5:00AM. Off course Beth already drove away, so I had two choices; sleep in the airport, or call a friend who lives in the Orlando area.

So I got a Hold of Josh Sampiero, the editor of Windsurfing magazine. He picked me up and right away we got into the water to do something fun before it was completely dark.

He took me to a near by lake where we went for a really nice 3 mile paddle just before it was dark.

After our paddle, we met up with Eddie Patricelli, formal editor of Windsurfing Magazine, his wife Jessica Patricelli, Zach Stovall, the Caribbean travel and life photographer, and I went out to dinner.

Jessica is pregnant with Jake who should be coming to this world in the next month. Congratulations Eddie and Jessica!!

Surf Expo Trade Show Orlando, FL

2009-10-11T21:52:56Z

Aloha All,

On Wednesday morning the 13th I received a email from Dave Siragusa who asked me if I wanted to be a part of the Maui Jim Sunglasses booth at the Surf Expo Trade show, the event is held on the 14th-16th. I was very excited to be invited to this but on such a short notice it was hard to make a decision, so I made a few emails to Starboard and Dakine asking them if they were going to have a booth as well at the Surf Expo. They both ended up replying to me saying they were and that they would also like for me to represent them as a team rider. So now I had 45 minutes to book a flight, pack my bag, and fly it to Kahului airport. Unbelievable everything went smooth and before I knew it I was stepping foot on Florida on my way to the Surf Expo in Florida.

On my to the bus where I would go form the airport to Orange County Convention Center in Orlando I met up with the founder of Future fins and they offered to drive me to the Expo at 6 in the morning. I was stoked!

Entrance to Surf Expo

Imagine a room as big as Costco but filled with surf companies trying to get their name out to the world.

Svein of Starboard and I

Indoor full blown skate park.

The Maui Jim Booth.

The Maui Jim Team and Reps out for dinner at Moon Fish restaurant.

Battle of The Paddle October 3rd and 4th, 2009. Doheny State Beach, Dana Point, CA

2009-10-11T21:32:00Z

Aloha,

The first day of competition was really fun! Everyone was surprised on the amount of people that entered and also the waves that were steadily increasing. The boards that the majority of competitors used are very fast in the flats and catch the smallest of swell easily, so when the waves started to pick up, the competition became much more difficult, especially when there were obstacles such as huge boards flying at you sideways in the waves from people falling and kelp that will get tangled on your fin! These are the things that makes the Battle of the Paddle so fun and challenging!

Battle of The Paddle October 3rd and 4th, 2009. Doheny State Beach, Dana Point, CA

Perfect example of the "dominos effect". Once one goes down, they all go down, including the people in front of them!

This race is not called the Battle of the Paddle for no reason!

Some of these sets were very difficult to go through on a 12 foot hollow SUP board, and it must have been even harder for the adults who were on the 18 foot boards.

The hectic start of the Elite division.

As you can see, the start line was pretty big!

Coming into the finish in 1st place for the open age 12'6" class!

Congrats to my friend and training partner Slater Trout who took home 2nd in the Battle! Good job Braddah Slater!

As well congratulation to my friends from Talia Gangini and Connor Baxter who finished great in this difficult competition!

It is great to be able to compete around the would with all my friends!

I hope to see all the same faces and more next year!

I was stoked on my 1st place finish in the long distance 14' class and also 1st place in the open age 12'6" class! The races were fun and very exciting! In the Elite division I got taken out many times by many boards, and ended up not finishing how I wanted. In the end I got to take home two Firsts and stories to tell with every scar and bruise!

Mahalo nui loa to all the organizers and sponsors that made the Battle of the Paddle such a great event! And as well mahalos to all the athletes who competed in the event!

Also another big THANKS to Starboard and Brian Szymanski who shaped awesome boards for me and a few other Starboard team riders to use.

Now I am off to the 30th annual TWMC Ghost Rider Enduro in the Mojave dessert. This is a 115 mile dirt-bike enduro dessert race that I am going to be competing in with my dad and Brother, Matty Schweitzer.

Aloha and Mahalo,

Zane Kekoa Schweitzer

Battle of The Paddle

2009-10-06T01:23:00Z

Aloha everyone,

On October 3rd the biggest SUP race started, the race was presented by Rainbow Sandals and was called the Battle of the Paddle.

This event was so awesome, it was very organized and huge with over 300 competitors and hundreds of spectators and expos.

Some of the competitors for the open age division.

Slater Trout and I the day before the event with two of the next generation up and coming groms.

The latest Starboard creation.

The carnage corner. This is where the Majority of injuries happened, at some points there would be 15 or 20 people all getting pounded by waves and other peoples boards flying in at them.

Last day of Competition

2009-09-09T07:03:00Z

Aloha Everyone!

The 5th day was the last day of competition and also the shortest distance we traveled in previous days. Onceagain this run was 90 % upwind, so it was difficult especially after paddlingabout 132 miles in the last four days! We finished the race in Dokkum, which is a beautiful area.

Even though we were all sore and torn apart, I was sad that we left so quick. Holland is a beautiful place filled with great people, and I hope that next year we are invited to compete in this event again. I am sure that there will be twice as much people if not more attending the event next year.

I was stoked to hear that I can take home 1st for the Juniors in the 11-city tour!

Pictures from the fourth day:

Anne-Marie Richman

My grandparents friends from Holland, the man on the left used to be the windsurfer distributer for Holland.

Saying a few words at the finish.

Pictures form day 5:

Connor next to the Sail boat we were staying on.

John and I leading the pack.

Overall Results:

— 1. Byron Kurt 26:44:19
— 2. Xavier Masdevall Garçon 27:12:30
— 3. Eric Terrien 27:13:16
— 4. Bart de Zwart 27:32:33
— 5. Mark Raaphorst 28:23:40
— 6. Erwin Janssen 29:08:49
— 7. John Hibbard 30:27:01
— 8. Zane Schweitzer 30:46:56
— 9. Gerhard van Geest 30:48:41
— 10. Paul Schuitema 31:49:37
— 11. Conner Baxter 32:45:13
— 12. Martijn van Deth 33:53:40
— 13. Anne-Marie Reichman 34:12:05
— 14. Donna Badome-Raaphorst 34:33:57
— 15. Patrick Smits 19:30:29 (dnf day 2 and 3)
— 16. Frank van Leenhove 16:22:30 (dnf day 1 and 2)
— 17. Jan Fokke Oosterhof 28:49:38 (dnf day 1)

Day 4

2009-09-05T14:36:00Z

Day four was just as amazing and equally hard as the previous days. This event was such an awesome experience filled with excitement!

Anne-Marie paddling through a beautiful part of the course.

Mark Raaphorst going under one of many bridges.

Day 3 3/9/09

2009-09-05T13:58:00Z

Hallo Iedereen! (Aloha Everyone)

Everything has been going great for all of us here in Holland. Everyday is like a different world. Today we paddled in a storm with 25 knot winds and pouring rain. We were all freezing!

Photographers came out once the sky started to clear up. Connor, Ann-Marie and Donna

Bart De Zwart Coming up to the finish!

Eat, Compete, and Sleep!

2009-09-05T13:52:00Z

Another Great day!

The 11-city tour is truly unique because of all of the different environments and areas we are paddling in. With all the different obstacles such as weeds that get stuck on fins, boats, head winds and sharp corners that are not easy to turn on with 15-foot paddleboards is what makes this race strategic and exciting.

After paddling all day for up to seven hours everyone is just thinking about eating then passing out where ever is comfortable. We all drain our selfs everyday and there is never enough nutrients we could throw in our body for all the time we are paddling.

breakfast before the start of day 1.

First day of competition

2009-09-05T13:44:00Z

Aloha!

The first day of the competition was more amazing than I imagined it and also harder than I imagined it. We started in the middle of a city through canals where the city people cheered for us, it was really cool; we all felt like rock stars! There are signs for the competitors that lead us in the right direction when the water ways fork out to different directions. Within the first 45 minutes of the race the top 9 competitors, including me, went three hours of course because we missed a turn, luckily we got to restart the first race and the event organizers explained to us again the sign situation. After paddling through the city we were in a river with sheep and cow fields on both sides. Even though this river was beautiful, it was one of the hardest stages in the whole event for most of us. The wind was blowing right on our face 20 knots for 45 kilometers, it was definitely a crazy first day.

If anyone wants to check out some awesome high quality action shots, check out the official site of the 11-city tour: www.supfryslan.nl/?page=home

On this site you can follow us by a GPS system that is strapped on our camel packs.

P.S I am sorry for all of the late blog updates, on the sailboat we don’t have the best internet connection.

Almost the whole gang!

Us Paddling to the start!

3, 2, 1 GO!

25 hours of Traveling

2009-09-04T17:41:37Z

Aloha

If you have followed Connor and I before, you know that excitement follows us even when we are in airports or on planes. On our first flight an elder person had a diabetic seizer a half an hour before we landed in Houston for our connecting flight to Amsterdam. I woke up right as the Pilot was announcing on the speakers if there were any doctors on the plane that could assist the older man. He lost his breath and a doctor started to perform CPR and everyone on the plane was worried, we took an emergency landing were paramedics took the man of the plane. Nineteen hours after that we were landing in Amsterdam were someone met us and two other people and drove us to the event site. Car ride over.

When Connor, Xavi Masdevall, Eric Terrien and I pulled up to the 111 foot sailboat we were all imagining how great this contest is going to be.

Testing out our equipment

Packing For The 11-City Tour

2009-09-03T19:49:00Z

Aloha Everybody!

I am so excited for my next journey to Holland. I have never been to Holland before so it will be an awesome experience. When Anne-Marie Richman emailed me a few months ago asking me to be a competitor in the 11-city tour, I was stoked! Connor and I were also stoked when we were told that our board will be provided for us when we arrive. This means we don't have to pack two huge 14 foot board bags and drag them through foreign airport customs! This competition is an all invite iron man race. We will be paddling in the water, wind, rain, and even lightning and thunder non stop for about 6 and a half hours a day.

Holland at this time of year varies in temperature throughout the day, so I packed everything from shorts and tee shirts to jeans, jackets and wet suits. The 11-city tour is a very diverse race through 11 cities (obviously) and will be around 30 miles everyday for 5 days. There were 25 competitors that were invited to do this awesome race!

Twenty-five competitors, press and three chefs will be staying on a 111 foot sail boat that will follow us on our journey through the canals, rivers and lakes of Holland.

My only equiptment.

Connor and I on our way to Ampsterdam

Last day of Comp. 7/17/09

2009-07-20T01:44:00Z

Aloha all,

The 17th was a great day. My ankle thankfully felt a little bit better and the wind was a steady 14-17 knots all day so racing continued.
For the day's overall results, I ended up in First Place in the 15 and under division and 4th Place for the 17 and under, which I felt good about. I really learned
more at this event than any other event I have attended. The competitors were all the best in the world and it was fun racing against them all.
I really have learned to enjoy racing, and finally figured out how to get my "competition head" tuned up as well as my gear. So it was definitely a positive experience for me.

After the competition we headed to the Awards Ceremony. The Bonaire news stations were there to film the awards, it was pretty cool. After the five day event results were tallied
I ended up in 6th for the Slalom Junior World Championships, but I feel like I am coming home a much better racer thanks to everything I learned.

Sarah-Quita (ARU 91), Steven Max (ARU 888), and I at the award ceremony

My friends from around the world

This was an awesome event and I had a lot of fun even though I had some bad luck. I am very excited for the next event and I am expecting to improve even more.
Once again I had so much fun traveling with my friend Connor Baxter, his dad Keith was a great coach, and I really appreciated Beth and Greg Winkler hosting us!

Connor and I saying Aloha to Bonaire.

Aloha until my next journey, Have fun and see you in the water soon;

Zane Kekoa Schweitzer

Night freestyle and Party Bus

2009-07-17T02:18:00Z

14/7/09
The races were okay today. I missed a start when the wind direction changed which caused me to take longer to get upwind to the start. This really screwed me up. Then later that night there was a very cool night freestyle competition. Big lights were set up on the beach with huge speakers and a DJ. While the freestylers were sailing, the locals were dancing on the beach and having fun watching the freestyle. I went freestyle sailing to have some fun and ended up with a very badly sprained ankle.

Just bbefore the event the Governor of Bonaire sailed in from across the bay.

Where the competitors kept their gear (including us in the corner with the starboard flag)

15/7/09
I sailed in a lot of pain for that day and the next. I lay down and iced my foot all day besides when they called my name for my heat. People where coming up to me after my heat asking why I was screaming while jibing. I actually got first in that heat so I was a little relieved. After finishing the one heat I did in pain, I came in and lie on the beach on top of my gear and saw huge rain clouds coming. Five minutes later it was pouring in the Caribbean and the wind died for the day. The contest was called off until the next day.
Later that night Elvis, the event organizer, planned out a Party bus that drives around the island of Bonaire for all the juniors. The bus was a school bus with about 4 12” subs, so everyone danced while circling the island.

Sarah Qita in front of the Party bus.

Friends from Bonaire and Aruba.

Friends from Poland, Great Britain, Italy, and Denmark

Competition 13/7/09

2009-07-17T01:03:00Z

The 13th was the first day of competing. It was a great expierience and was a lot of fun to race with all of our friends from around the world. Connor ended up getting a first and I as well ended up getting a few firsts.
There is 5 days of the competition and there are two rounds in each day, each round has three heats. At the end of the competition you get one throw out.

Connor and I

The start tower is about a mile out into the bay and it is still waist deep in beautiful warm sand bottom water. Everyone would just stand there until a minute before the start then jump on and go.

Diving/Registration 12/7/09

2009-07-16T02:25:00Z

On the 12th we went to the Bonaire marine park. The drive there was a beautiful 30 minute drive through forests of huge cactis. When we opened our doors at the beach that we were gonna dive at, blue and green lizzards swarmed us. It was really cool.

Like I said, huge cactis. The bottom of them were like the trunks of trees.

Iguana we found on the side of the road.

At one point there were probably 20 running up to us.

Truck ride back to town.

A pond that we passed that was filled with flamingo.

Another Pond of Flamingos.

After we went to the marine reserve to dive, we registered for the event.

The registration opened with 50 mortercycles driving through the crowd. This is probably one of the biggest and most publisised event I have been to.

The IFCA staff and the govorner of Bonaire.

a Big crab we found 30 minutes away from the beach just before our house. It was in the middle of the road and I noticed it and said turn around and grab the cooler! We ended up catching it.