About the School

Unlike most Kite Surfing schools around the world, who teach 4 students to 1 instructor, we keep the ratio to maximum of 2:1 instructor. This allows you to achieve greater skill in a shorter period of time, ultimately giving you much better value for money, and a more structured learning experience!

This school is completely unique in the way it is customized to all levels from complete beginner to gifted riders who want to set their sights higher and achieve goals beyond their own expectations.

Atlantic riders was the FIRST school in the UK to offer strapless board riding and will concentrate on any phase of kite surfing that you require from wave riding to freestyle on your twin tip board. Will is a firm believer you can do any aspect of kite surfing to any level and that is what the school is dedicated to offer.

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Meet the Team

Will Bennet

As well as Will being a fully qualified BKSA Instructor since 2003, he is also a BKSA National Coach enabling him to deliver intermediate to advance Coaching Clinics at home and abroad. In 2009 he became an Examiner for the BKSA, teaching experienced kitesurfers how to become instructors.

Current and 4 X British Wave Masters Champion and EX World Tour Competitor, Will is a highly respected surfer, kite surfer and windsurfer. He is fanatical about the wind and waves and passionate about seeing others enjoying the ocean.

From the age of 18 Will taught windsurfing around the world before learning in 2002 to kite surf in the Caribbean, where he trained and worked alongside Andre Phillips at Kite Antigua.

After dedicating 3 years as head instructor of the extreme academy at the Watergatebay hotel, Will decided to make a kite surfing school of excellence.

Will, an accomplished and respected twin tip rider, is currently fore fronting strapless surf board riding in the UK and is among just a handful of riders in Europe that can perform on a world class scale at strapless riding. Will can do skate board style tricks - shuv its and kick flips as well as traditional aerial transitions with grabs and rotations all without straps on a standard surf board regardless of how demanding the waves are.

Strapless surf board riding combines all the best aspects of Kite surfing and surfing and is the latest challenge to this increasingly popular sport.

Will originally started strapless riding because he wanted to be able to combine his passion for surfing with his love for kite surfing and always be riding waves no matter how windy.

Andy Heald

Andy started kiting in Mui Ne, Vietnam in 2005, progressing in Ile De Re, France throughout the summer and attaining his IKO Instructor qualification. He has since taught in Tarifa, Spain and Cape Town, South Africa.

He abandoned London in 2007 and moved to Cornwall to join Will, at Atlantic Riders as a BKSA Instructor. His sports background is varied, but highlights include, winning the Virginia and Washington DC Soccer State Cup for the British Embassy, Overseas Cricket Player of India Tour for the BBC Bushmen, Bronze medalist in the Stock Exchange London to Brighton Race Walk, yacht day skipper and pilot's licence!

After crashing an off road bike in Sri Lanka in 2003, he subsequently found solace with kitesurfing, although on windless days you might catch him wizzing around Newquay in his Tuk Tuk pumping some gentle reggae numbers.

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Location

Atlantic Riders is based at Watergate Bay Newquay. Facing west into the Northern Atlantic on the North Cornish coastline is a 2 1/2 mile stretch of Golden sandy beach hosting one of the best wind/ wave combination for kite surfing in Europe.

Watergate bay was an event location for the European kite surfing tour in 2001/2002. Since then it has been a regular stop for the BKSA kite surfing series. This year it provided perfect conditions for three days allowing Britain's top riders to show case their manoeuvres, footage of this can be found on www.kitesurfing.org the official site for the BKSA.

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Westcountry Watersports

Westcountry Watersports are Cornwall's windsurf, kitesurf and wakeboarding shop. They are the technical experts, with extensive specialist knowledge in all products they sell.

If you want to get an item quickly and easily use their on-line store at www.surfsale.co.uk. Items are dispatched quickly and efficiently to destinations all over the UK and to the rest of the world as well.

Visit Westcountry Watersports for:
Kitesurf - Windsurf - Wakeboard - Sit on Top Kayaks from Ocean Kayak - O'Neill Wetsuits - SUP Stand up Paddle Boards - BodyBoards - Skim Boards - Power Kites - All terrain Boards - Reef Sandals - Waterskis - DVDs and Books - plus all manner of useful watersports gadgets and accessories.

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