Windsurfing Champions

The world of windsurfing boasts of some of the most talented and gifted champions that have enthralled windsurfing lovers worldwide. With their unmatched abilities, great style and innovations, they have revolutionized the sport. Some of the surfers have contributed so much that their names have become synonymous with windsurfing. A glance through their achievements is a matter of great pleasure and inspiration.

Top Windsurfing Stars

Although the windsurfing arena is dominated by numerous talented surfers, few names stand out.

Robby Naish: A legendary figure in windsurfing, Robby or Robert Naish was one of the first surfers to truly dominate the sport for a long time. Robby took to surfing at the tender age of 11 and since then there was no looking back for him. One of the major reasons for Robby to take up windsurfing was his father – Rick Naish. Rick himself was an expert windsurfer and surf board designer and a great inspiration for young Robby to take up windsurfing.

Robby’s first big achievement was the World Championship title in 1976. It was the sheer genius in Robby that allowed a thirteen year old boy to defeat the most acclaimed surfers of that time.

Robby went on to win the World Championship titles consecutively from 1977 to 1979. He repeated his feat of winning successive World Championship titles from 1983 to 1987. Robby also dominated Wave Windsurfing and won the Wave World Championship in 1988, 1989 and 1991.

Although Robby was extremely deft at all the windsurfing movements, his expertise in ‘Table Top’, ‘Forward Loop’ and the famous ‘Longboard Loop’ captured audience attention world over.

Robby did not restrict himself to windsurfing only and went on to pursue kitesurfing. A naturally gifted surfer, Robby made a mark in the kitesurfing arena as well. He won the kitesurfing slalom world championship in 1998 as well as in 1999. He also won the kitesurfing jumping world title in 1999.

It is due to such an illustrious track record that Naish is considered as a windsurfer par excellence.

Bjorn Dunkerbeck: The late 1980s witnessed a rise of another windsurfer who could rise to the challenge of Robby Naish and carve a niche for himself on the global scenario. Bjorn Dunkerbeck won the PWA World Championship title on twelve occasions, which is a testimony of his great talent.

Bjorn mainly dominated the racing and wave sailing forms of windsurfing and went on to win major championships in these forms. Apart from the PWA world championship titles, Bjorn’s list of achievements includes race world championship title in 1988 and 1999, wave world championship title in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001 and freestyle world championship in 1998.

Antoine Albeau: A younger generation windsurfer, Antoine Albeau is a French windsurfer who has set new benchmarks in windsurfing. Since 1994, Antoine has won world championships in eleven different disciplines. However, Antoine’s greatest moment of glory came in March 2008, when he set a new world record in speed sailing.

Antoine completed the 500 meter course competition at Saintes Marie de la Mer at a speed of 49.09 knots (90.91 km/h). He broke the previous record by Finian Maynard who had accomplished the task at a speed of 48.70 knots in April 2005.

Apart from these, some of the leading champions to make a mark at the international windsurfing arena are Stephen van den Berg, Ricardo Campello and Kauli Seadi. Among the ladies, the top names include Karin Jaggi, Natalie Lelievre and the twin sister duo of Daida and Iballa Moreno.

These exceptional players have been largely responsible for inspiring windsurfing enthusiasts to take up the sport at a professional level.