Kereopa in the Mix as the Ultimate Waterman is Decided

KEREOPA IN THE MIX AS THE ULTIMATE WATERMAN IS DECIDED THIS WEEKEND.

Just who will take out the title of The Ultimate Waterman is anyone’s guess, with a jam-packed leaderboard heading into the final two events this weekend in Southland.

Hawaii’s Connor Baxter has dominated from the start to win the SUP endurance race and move into contention for overall honours, while kiwi hope Daniel Kereopa has fought hard to keep himself in contention to grab back the title he won in 2015, sitting in fourth place overall despite battling injury and finishing 7th in today's 16 kilometre paddle.

On a bitterly cold morning, Baxter has impressed with a faultless race from Colac Bay to Riverton to beat compatriot Zane Schweitzer by two minutes. It means each of the six events so far has had a different winner, with Baxter joining Australian Jackson Maynard as the only competitor to take maximum points in his double whammy event.

Schweitzer, the defending champion, has moved into the overall lead with his second place finish in the SUP endurance, while Caio Vaz (BRA) has dropped to second. Baxter has shot up from sixth overall to third.

There’s just 540 points separating Schweitzer in first and Maynard in fifth place with two events remaining and Baxter says it’s really tight. “Zane and I have been trying to do some math and work it all out. If I can maybe get a first place in the one-man (outrigger) on Sunday and perhaps a top three in the swim there’s a good potential chance for me to do it.”

The full points table;

Zane Schweitzer HAW 5720
Caio Vaz BRA 5530
Connor Baxter HAW 5208
Daniel Kereopa NZL 5188
Jackson Maynard AUS 5180
Manoa Drollet PFY 4933
Chuck Glynn USA 4215
Coco Nogales MEX 3276

The competition will head indoors tomorrow with an underwater strength run and swim at Splash Palace in Invercargill. Athletes will jump into the pool, grab two 25kg weights and run 25metres along the bottom of the pool to a 1metre wide zone, with the aim to not surface for air. They then freestyle swim 25metres back. Entry is free for the public.

The first of Red Bull TV’s five daily shows is 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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