WIPA = Windsurfing Is Pretty Awesome

There is a new “kid on the block”. US Sailing, US Windsurfing, and Windsurfing Instructors and Programs Association (WIPA) have formed a new relationship and partnership for windsurfing programs and windsurfing instructor certification. Ned Crossley explains how the partnership is everything about windsurfing instructor certification and windsurfing programs.

From the US Sailing website, “US Sailing supports US Windsurfing as they take ownership of all Windsurfing Instructor Programs.” US Windsurfing and WIPA are partnered under the same umbrella and purpose. WIPA’s motto is simple: For Windsurfers, About Windsurfing, and Learning Windsurfing. WIPA is fundamental based; student centered, and best teaching practices.

Every sailing center, club, yacht club, and sailing interest now has a place to go for expedited windsurfing help from expert Instructor Trainers/Examiners (ITEX’s). WIPA can customize and provide windsurfing technical, teaching, and program support.

Whether it is windsurfing instructor development, windsurfing program advice, or consulting on how windsurfing can fit into your sailing program, WIPA has the “who’s who” of North America’s best windsurfing experts. The manual is the Tricktionary – The Windsurfing Bible. Contact any expert ITEX for certification, lessons, program advice, instruction, etc.

WIPA’s website lists North America’s best windsurfing educational staff and the 22 certified windsurfing instructors (some US Sailing Windsurfing Instructor have reciprocal WIPA Level 1 certification). WIPA has 4 levels of windsurfing certification and 7 levels of windsurfing specialties available with specifics for each level. WIPA offers Assistant Windsurfing Instructor designation. Also available on the website are many documents about teaching and doing windsurfing.

WIPA is about “grass roots sailing”, from the beginner to the professional, from the amateur to the paid instructor. WIPA is about sharing and caring, fun and success in windsurfing. Take lessons and get verified, learn windsurfing fundamentals and progressions through the WIPA education and certification process.

So, why should every sailor be a windsurfer at some point in their sailing life? Well, upon a windsurfer, you stand up all the time, there is no rudder, and windsurfers are very small hulls. A windsurfing mast has a universal attachment to the board which falls down often unless the sailor is skilled.

Most windsurfers do not have a centerboard. You get to skipper your own boat. Windsurfers use foot straps for better transfer and most use harness lines. Windsurfing rigs are very sophisticated. Foiling upon a windsurfer is affordable and quite the rage.

Carbon masts, booms, and layups are common. Windsurfers plane and are among fastest groups of sailors. Windsurfers have the most launch spots in the world. Windsurfing is very physical. Windsurfers do aerials and waves. Windsurfing is the most affordable craft and does not need a mooring, slip, nor hoist.

SUP windsurfing and SUP paddling are super cool with the same hull. You get to sail a windsurfer whilst off the hull like in water starting, beach starting, and body drags. And, windsurfing is an Olympic sailing class.

A great sailor can sail a windsurfer, catamaran, dinghy, and spinnaker rigged hull. Find a way to windsurf and sail on every lake, bay, and ocean. If every sailor learned to sail a dinghy and windsurfer right from the start, sailing would change for the better, and it is never too late to learn windsurfing.

WIPA is here to serve your windsurfing needs and WIPA thinks that most every sailing center would benefit from a quality windsurfing program, especially for adults. WIPA is year round and has become very successful in less than 7 months.

If interested in windsurfing programs and certification, please visit www.windsurfingipa.org.