NWF Awards

At the NWF new home in Rutland, time was set aside to present some annual awards in the following categories. 

• Windsurfing Coach of the year
• Young windsurfer of the year 
• Most Inspiring windsurfer of the year
• Windsurfing Club of the year

Windsurfing Coach of the year

Coaches are an essential part of windsurfing, weather its teaching an absolute beginner having their first go at windsurfing to the advanced pro trying to nail that elusive maneuver or gain the extra knot of speed. They are the unsung hero’s of our sport.

This person has been recognised for all hard work he has put in with hundreds of students over many years with his coaching company Windwise, his development of the Fast Forward program now used by the RYA and all over the world and on a personal level, doing this while fighting serious illness over the last few years

The winner of Coach of the year is Simon Bornhoft

Young windsurfer of the year 

Young Windsurfer is a very important award as it recognises the upcoming talent we have here in the UK. The young and new to our sport, are its future. The winner of this award has won this year, the 5.8m fleet at The Eric Twiname championships and the RYA zone Champs.

The winner of Young Windsurfer of the year is Charlie Bennett.

Most Inspiring windsurfer of the year

The winner of most inspiring Windsurfer award needs no introduction. He is without doubt the best all-round windsurfer the UK has ever produced. He has won Wave competitions, been World Formula Champion and last year on the podium for PWA slalom series. Yet he still has time for people and particularly youngsters, to give help and encouragement where ever he goes.

The Most Inspiring Windsurfer of the year is Ross Williams

Windsurfing Club of the year

This club award was the most hotly contested of all. Clubs are the lifeblood of our sport introducing and bringing on new people to our wonderful sport. They help provide us with great safe places for us to sail and through camaraderie and encouragement make us better windsurfers.

The reason this club has won was summed up best by one of the people who nominated them, Dan Wilson.

“At 14 I was obsessed with Ice hockey. That was the plan anyway! I had been going to the lake with my windsurfing dad for years to simply sit in the car or play with Rusty the club dog. 

May bank holiday Monday 2009 I signed onto a free taster session where I met many of the club regulars and elders of the wind. at the time must have had an average membership age knocking on early 50's, however they managed to get this ice hockey mad teenager hooked onto something I considered to be my Dad's boring past time.

There isn't a single person at the club I can't thank for where I am today. The Team behind our T15 programme are sublime. All volunteering every Saturday morning to help organise and run a fantastic kids club. If I were to ever turn up with the wrong piece of kit or if the wind was too strong for my 5.5, every single member would offer me something to use to make sure I would hit the water. 

That is what brog is. Pure encouragement. Not being on the water isn't an option! Luckily I was spotted as having a bit of a talent for teaching and am now holding my first instructors job at plas menai national outdoor centre and am looking to go to Vass next year. 

If it wasn't for that club, (my home), I wouldn't be where I am today. So please if you could help me thank them, and many others thank the club by making our little club club of the year. 

Winner of Windsurfing club of the year is Brogborough Windsurfing Club.