BuiltWithNOF

LWA Young Windsurfer of the Year
Charlie Wilson

   Hi, My name is Charlie Wilson, I’m 14 years old and I’ve been windsurfing for about 3 years. I started my windsurfing career on a family holiday in Greece when I was 10 years old. My Dad had already been windsurfing for many years and he thought that this was the best opportunity to introduce me to the sport. He was right  - and I was hooked almost immediately! About a year later my friend had a birthday party at Aquasports. I liked it so much I became a member there. I took my RYA levels 1, 2 and 3, and joined the T15 club.

      At my second event in the 4.5 metre class I managed to bag a 3rd place and was completely stoked for the rest of the day! After a few more T15 events my Dad asked me if I wanted to enter the 2006 Zone championships at Bewl. I was a bit doubtful at first as this was my first big competition, but miraculously, in the force five wind and my Dad's Mistral Malibu from 1991 I took 1st place in the 4.5 class.
   After the competition I was asked by my Dad if I wanted to apply for the south east zone squad. I almost turned it down and I can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t said yes!
     Since then I have taken part in many competitions including the following:

  • The 2007 Eric Twiname championships where I came 6th.
  • The UKWA Inland Series, including the Rutland Marathon.
  • I won the LWA summer series on 6.8 and was awarded The LWA Young Windsurfer of the Year.
  • In September 2007 I took part in the Youth and Masters at Weymouth. This was the biggest competition that I had ever been in but I managed to get hold of 12th place on a 6.8.
  • Following this I entered the LWA Icebreaker series where Alex Mitchell, Alex Trickle and I entered as a team and came first.
  • Quite recently in my second Zone championships I came 4th and re-entered the Zone squad. I got in again and I am enjoying every second of it!