From the very first event, 10 years ago, the NWF has been supported by windsurfing superstars. The NWF has attracted World Champions, World Record Holders, Olympians past and present as well as those who coach them. I am not sure that I can do justice with a choice of only ten – but in no particular order, here goes!

Karin Jaggi – I’m not just doing ladies first; with 29 World Titles in several windsurfing disciplines, Karin Jaggi (SUI-14) is one of the most successful and experienced windsurfers in the world. She is also one of the fastest, having twice been World Speed Champion and holder of the Windsurfing Speed World Record at 41.25 knots (47.47 mph). In a windsurfing career spanning over 20 years, Karin has been a real inspiration and role model to other women in the sport, showing that it is possible to succeed despite the challenges posed by what is seen as a male-dominated sport. With her partner, speed champ Patrik Diethelm, Karin ran a series of classroom sessions at the NWF.

Dieter van Eyken – Current World Freestyle Champion Dieter van Eyken will be at NWF 2016! Belgian Dieter says “I’m very much looking forward to coming to the NWF for the first time this September! After hearing so many great things about this event I couldn’t find a more perfect moment to come check it out on its 10th anniversary! It’s great to see a sport like windsurfing can bring so many people together for just a good time, laughs and the passion for the sport checking out all the latest gear, I’m looking forward to meeting you all and hopefully score a nice windsurfing session together! See you on the water!”

Current World Freestyle Champion

Andy Brandt – Fresh from the US, the Caribbean and Bonaire, Andy Brandt, instructional editor for ‘Windsurf’ magazine, is bringing 27 years’ windsurf coaching experience to the NWF 10th Anniversary! Andy will be running free sessions at the NWF covering ‘The World’s Worst Windsurfing Habits’ and ‘Sail Chi’ – helping to handle the sail for freestyle, which is guaranteed to improve your sailing whatever your level. And if you want to know about The Forward Loop, The Gybe… well just come along and improve!

Nick Dempsey – Team GB’s Olympic Silver Medallist at London 2012 in RS-X – that’s windsurfing to you. Weymouth-based Nick found time to grace NWF 2012 despite it being such a big year for him. He has high hopes for Rio this August. Someone painted a post box in Weymouth silver in honour of Nick. Let’s hope Nick gets the gold (postbox) at Rio!

Bryony Shaw – Aged 24, Bryony was extremely happy to take the Bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics. Bryony truly believes in putting something back into the sport and has been a strong supporter of the youth element and NWF Junior. Steady performances throughout her career and many appearances on the top step of the podium as she gets ready for Rio means that she has set her sights on gold this time, and we at the NWF wish her all the best!

Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo – a local boy from El Yaque, Venezuela, Jose ‘Gollito’ Estredo burst onto the scene as a youngster and has since acquired no fewer than 6 World Titles in Freestyle. Gollito is known as an innovator of new tricks and has wowed the crowds just inches from the shore at the NWF night windsurf!

The Fabulous Baker Boys – Ant and Nik Baker are 2 of the UK’s most successful windsurfers and they never miss an NWF. Despite living and training on Maui for many years, nothing could keep them from Shoreham – or Sho’kipa as it is sometimes known! The Great British Baker-off was when Nik beat Robbie Naish on his home break at Ho’okipa! The Baker Academy offers Windsurfing, SUP and Kitesurf coaching as well as supplying the latest kit. If you want some free coaching from a former PWA Top 10, Ant will be offering “very fun interactive clinics around wave sailing” at the NWF.

Zara Davies – It’s about time we had another lady and who better than the fastest woman in the world on a windsurfer and the only woman in history to hold not one but TWO World Records at the same time! Zara holds the Women’s World Outright Record for the nautical mile at 34.74 knots and also the Women’s Production Board 500m record / Women’s Windsurfing World record for 500m at 45.83knots, which is an eye watering 52.74mph in old money!

Peter Chilvers – It wouldn’t be right to have a list of NWF windsurfing stars without including Hayling’s own Peter Chilvers. The godfather of Windsurfing, a 12-year old Peter is cited for inventing the 1st sailboard in 1958 on Hayling Island. Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer are credited with bringing the modern windsurfer to the masses with their patented windsurfer in 1968, but following numerous court cases, prior art was found published in a local English newspaper; a story with a picture of Peter showing his first board combined with a sail, in 1958. This board used a universal joint, one of key parts of the Windsurfing International’s patent. This was crucial in the case and established that Peter was indeed the world’s 1st windsurfer!

Anderson, Bouijmaa, Chambers, Collis, Dawkins, Dinsmore, Dixon, Farrel O’Shea, Hackford, Hall, Hart, Hawkins, Mullen, Muzza, Proffitt, Ricci, Ross, Rowe, Swift, Thorpe, White, Williams – and Robby Naish’s sail in the charity auction… I don’t have a star for quite every letter of the alphabet, but I bet that I could come close! I am rapidly running out of space, and that’s even though I put Nik and Ant in one!

So, come along on 2-4^th September for the magnificent 10^th Anniversary NWF – and see who you can spot – or who you might be alongside on the start line! Top of the world or no, they will all be glad to chat, share their knowledge – and perhaps even some of their secrets. After all, we all have one thing in common, a passion for our sport!

Jackie Lambert