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There are many windsurfing top riders, beyond any reasonable amount to address. Yet, we have done some intensive research and introduced this curated list.
Do you agree or not? Share who is your top choice. Or then again, if you think any other name should be in the rundown, let us know in the comments section below.
Now, first things first, let’s check out the big names!
Guess, who are they?
1. Robby Naish
He was without a doubt outstanding compared to many other windsurfers on the planet. Also, Naish is the sport’s pioneer who made it more widely known.
The 1977 – 1979 period saw him winning Windsurfing World Championship titles, acquiring worldwide popularity. It is worth noting that Naish won his first title at only thirteen years of age (1976).
During 1983 – 1987, this man proceeded to win the Professional Windsurfers Association Overall World Championship title. And the years 1991, 1989, and 1988 witnessed his achievement of the PWA World Champion title. Also, for your information, he spearheaded two windsurfing moves: the table top and the forward loop).
But be that as it may, since the last part of the 1990s, Naish has joined competitions in kitesurfing. That has left a sadness in some of us avid windsurfing fans’ hearts. Famous ranges of windsurfing gear such as sails and boards are these days promoted around the globe under the Naish name.
See: Naish kites.
2. Antoine Albeau
He is among the windsurfing top riders, for sure.
Since 1994, this Frenchman has won more than twenty World Championships in various areas. The year 2008 recognized him setting a record for wind-powered sailing speed. Albeau reached 49.09 knots (or 56.49 mph) on the Canal at that time. Not satisfied yet, he worked on his record in 2012 and attained 52.05 knots (59.9 mph).
But that was not all. Thirteen years ago, this windsurfer managed to windsurf across the in-between France and England channel starting from Cherbourg, France to Pool, England. Over 360 minutes and 138 kilometers (or 75 nautical miles) trek, Guy Cribb, another well-known windsurfer, joined home. Cribb is worthy of an honorable mention in this rundown, indeed.
3. Bjorn Dunkerbeck
One of the windsurfing top riders, he is regarded as being on the comparable level with the legendary Naish.
Dunkerbeck has won the Overall World Championship a strikingly unbelievable number of 42 times. The period of the 1980s and 1990s saws the domination of his technique. And the good news is aside from other sailing sports, he still windsurfs nowadays,
4. Sarah Quita Offringa
She has been the world champion in different global women’s windsurfing competitions way more than ten times.
It is worth mentioning that Offringa has been something of a good example. Starting from Aruba’s a small town, she has tried and turned into an idol of a multitude of female windsurfers belonging to the new generation.
5. Robert Teriitehau
He is on this list of the windsurfing top riders for a reason. This man has won the French windsurfing champion more than five times and was a surprising rising star in windsurfing.
His desire for flawlessness with regards to the back loop is insane. And Teriitehau has got huge admiration for his large jumps and noteworthy accomplishments with waves. The interesting thing is, he was scared of water when being a kid.
6. Peter Boyd
He is, to some degree, a myth to many. Over forty years ago, Boyd moved to Hawaii and became a pioneer for a lot of techniques. This surfer was the first to play out an aerial loop which prompted smaller varieties of the feat nigh on impossible. These included double rotation and push loops.
On the one hand, Boyd’s main focus is innovation. That is why he did not gain a lot of champion tiles. Still, on the other hand, he did crush Ken Winner (known as the World Champion at that time) a couple of times at international competitions.
7. Dave Kalama
He was the inventor of ‘the Goiter‘ move. It is simply the definition of fantastic.
This man was known for his being adventurous and riding a couple of the largest waves, according to the facts of history. Kalama also gained fame as an all-around water-sports athlete. It comes as no surprise that he was among the windsurfing top riders on the planet.
8. Josh Stone
He was most likely among the coolest surfers once upon a time. A Maui boy with a seemingly perfect life. Stone keeps on sailing, presently with his child Harley who beyond doubt considers windsurfing a very important part of him.
9. Francisco Goya
Goya is another coolest windsurfing rider out there. Above all, he has been famous for setting up one of the most reliable windsurfing brands these days.
10. Nik Baker
The United Kingdom’s own legend and one of the windsurfing top riders.
Baker chose to leave beautiful Shoreham for the Professional Windsurfers Association tour in the nineties. It might be one of his best decision because he then became a successful export. Presently back in the United Kingdom, Baker is an exceptionally capable sailer aside from being a super-duper nice guy.
11. Robby Swift
Deciding to stay in the United Kingdom, Swift has maybe assumed control over where Nik Baker left off. On the one hand, there are SOOOO MANY impressive Britain riders today on the Professional Windsurfers Association tour. Still, is Swift the best to date?
12. Philip Koster
The list cannot be complete without addressing one of the most important, popular men at a time. Koster and his outright domination of the Professional Windsurfers Association tour.
His control levels are on point. His devotion is insane. These qualities along with a marginally competitive streak, have most likely taken this man to the level that we see nowadays.
13. Jose “Gollito” Estredo
The king of freestyle. One of the windsurfing top riders. These are just some out of the many notable things in his career.
Estredo has developed and advanced a bigger number of moves than you can count. His level keeps on rising and equally significantly, he has been the inspiration of countless surfers around.
14. Mike Waltze
The year 1979 saw Waltze as the first person to place a windsurfing sail on the board and head over to Maui’s celebrated Hookipa beach.
He additionally hosted the professional wave sailing event taking place for the first time forty years ago. That turned into the windsurfing world tour’s foundation. What’s more, Maui turned into the central hub for the sport, serving not only as a design center but also as a professional training ground.
15. Dynamic Duos
Windsurfing top riders are legendary duos as well. Let’s see who they are:
– The super twin Daida and Iballa Moreno
Born in the windy Canary Islands in Spain, these two seem too good to be true. Someone may even believe that windsurfing marketers ‘made’ this twin in a lab.
Amazingly exotic and charming with World Champion level skills. Such nine words should define who the two are!
Brought up from the Caribbean island of Bonaire, the two kicked off as talented locals. The year 2000 or so witnessed their busting into the ‘freestyle’ discipline. Quickly enough, they ousted the old guard, making a strong effort for the supposed ‘new school’ freestyle.
The Frans are always considered strong competitors that any athletes need to be careful to deal with.
From Hawaii, they turned into the United States’ successful and much-admired windsurfers at approximately the same time Naish retired.
Now, veteran competitors, both are experts of the whole disciplines ever invented and have attained many world champion titles.
– Bruce Peterson and Dale Cook
Though they are not siblings, they may be as close as brothers. Both are the Columbia River Gorge’s kings. This is known as the Pacific Northwest’s windsurfing hotspot.
Now, Peterson runs his own sail firm called Sailworks. How about Cook? He is Sailworks’ top-notch rider. Both share a sailing style in common: Having hard and fast wave-riding moves and make higher jumping than anyone else. It is safe to say that their skills are almost unparalleled in the windsurfing world.
All in all
Who are the windsurfing top riders?
Indeed, as for sports, we all need several idols. And there are a couple of excellent athletes in the windsurfing realm.
Regardless of some debate related to which rider is the ‘greatest’ or ‘best’. this rundown is about the undeniable greats. Please note that we do not make it in any specific order.
And as we said, there are a lot of inspirational windsurfers out there. Have we missed your idol? Do not hesitate to tell us about them in the comments below! We cannot wait to hear from you!
