Schweizter Takes a Strangle Hold on the Ultimate Waterman Title.
Defending champion Zane Schweitzer is on track to go back-to-back and retain the title of Ultimate Waterman, as the
athletes and event crew prepare to wrap up a week of surf, scenery and unbeatable Southern hospitality
Schweitzer’s finished second in the underwater strength run and swim at Invercargill's Splash Palace, to extend his
advantage in the overall standings over Caio Vaz (BRA, with just one event remaining.
Tahiti’s Manoa Drollet produced an outstanding performance in the pool to become the first athlete to win two
disciplines in this year’s competition, backing up his victory in the barrel contest earlier in the week.
Drollet, who is competing in the event for the third time, raced across the bottom of the pool with his two 25 kilo
weights, and with a powerful swim clocked a time of 1:13:08. The big wave surfer was so quick in his first run that he
didn’t need to complete a second turn despite the majority of the competitors clocking quicker times in their second
attempt.
That effort moved Drollet up to third overall, but it’s Schweitzer who has taken hold of the competition with his
consistency across all disciplines. The time of 1:113:92 marks an incredible improvement for the man from Maui, who
finished second to last in the underwater strength run and swim last year. “I surpassed my goal, because I told myself
if I could do third it would by my best, and today I did better than my goal,” he said. “If we’re not bettering
ourselves in the thing that we are worst at, then that doesn’t make us a waterman because we have to adapt to the ocean
and consistently excel in all areas.” Schweitzter said.
He will now have to finish no worse than fourth in the final event, a 16km outrigger canoe paddle, to be crowned The
Ultimate Waterman for the second year in a row, but Schweitzer says that comes with its own worries. “to have the
pressure on like that makes me a little nervous, but I just have to do my best one more time and hope for a top three
finish."
The last event of the eight discipline competition will run from Colac Bay to Riverton tomorrow as part of a big finale
which has seen the Watermen enjoy everything New Zealand's deep South has to offer - from untouched beaches,
extraordinary surf conditions and scenery, to hospitality unrivaled any where in the world.
The event will finish at Invercargill's Queens Park Cricket Ground on Sundayevening [approx 6pm] , with a closing
ceremony, official presentation and a chance for the Watermen to thank locals for their support.
The full points table is:
Zane Schweitzer HAW 6580
Caio Vaz BRA 6200
Manoa Drollett PFY 5933
Jackson Maynard AUS 5910
Daniel Kereopa NZL 5798
Connor Baxter HAW 5763
Chuck Glynn USA 4798
Coco Nogales MEX 4332
Red Bull TV’s five daily shows are now live! All the action can be viewed at https://www.redbull.tv/live/AP-1R7YZ2UK51W11/the-ultimate-waterman and will continue through until April 11th and the title of Ultimate Waterman is decided.
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