Top Tuition Team
Our team is quite simply the highest qualified in the world, with over 13 RYA advanced instructors – more than you’ll find in any centre anywhere! This year 2 of our advanced instructors are girls, with Claire Elliot competing in the PWA freestyle. We are also proud to boast that 5 of the UK’s top freestylers work for us which means we can teach way beyond the rest. Our instructors have a shared wealth of experience which means anyone and everyone can learn and keep learning with us, from beginner to advanced.
Ollie Scott – Club Vassiliki Centre Manager, Pro Coach and Advanced Plus Instructor
Ollie is a complete all-rounder, having been Centre Manager and a top instructor at all of our centres for many years. He’s an expert windsurfer, having windsurfed and competed all over the world and an outstanding coach.
Sponsors: Club Vass, Severne, JP, Boardwise, Mystic
Check out what Ollie gets up to in a busy day at Club Vass: Ollie Scott: A Life in the Day
Max Rowe: Club Vass Pro Coach and Advanced Plus Instructor
Max has been a Club Vass leading light for the many years now. He’s definitely got the Vass Factor: a great instructor, a huge talent and a leading PWA star. Max’s moves are sick and slick he’s just incredible to watch, but whatever your level you can learn from him. We are very pleased to announce that Max will be Beach Manager this summer.
Sponsors: Club Vass, Simmer, Wideye, Boardwise, Sun God, Gopro UK
Pip Pardoe: Advanced Plus Instructor, Pro Coach
Pip has been windsurfing since he was a child. In his teens Pip was the UK youth freestyler champion and PWA Indoor Jump champion in 2005. Since then Pip has had a few career changes, including tree surgery, and after a year away from teaching at Club Vass, Pip is back to get you blasting on the water again. Pip’s style is infectious and he is a truly talented windsurfer and coach; he really is Mr Motivator and frankly if he can’t get you to the next level…
Jamie Howard: Advanced Plus Instructor
Jamie has been windsurfing since he was 10 and was instantly hooked. His Club Vass affiliation began during family holidays to Club Dahab, where he discovered freestyle…he has not looked back since! He spends time in places like Jeri and Cape Town to improve his sailing. Jamie was the under 20 UK freestyle champion and is now competing on the PWA freestyle tour.
Sponsors: Club Vass, JP, Neilpryde, Dakine, Bawbags, Fuss 3
Sam Green: Advanced Plus Instructor
Sam has been brought up around windsurfing; he’s lived it and breathed it his entire life! After years spent on the beaches of Australia and Vassiliki, Sam has become an incredible windsurfer with a great talent for teaching the sport. Sam has lived, worked and sailed in great places including Sydney, Dahab , Jericoacoara and Vassiliki.
Favorite moves: Forward Loop, Shaka and No-handed Flaka. Sponsors: Severne
Clare Elliot: Advanced Instructor
Clare started windsurfing only 4 years ago and since then has divided her time between teaching in Greece during the summers and improving her freestyle and wave sailing in Dahab and Cape Town in the winter. Clare loves teaching all abilities and as advanced instructor has great knowledge of all levels and abilities. We are incredibly proud of Clare, our first Club Vass lady to compete in the PWA Freestyle, finishing 7th (in the world!) at Fuerte 2017!! Sponsors: Club Vass, XPLG Patrik Boards, Sailloft sails, Maui Ultra Fin
Ollie Townsend: Advanced Instructor
Ollie started windsurfing over 10 years ago at Draycote Water in the Midlands. To fuel his freestyle obsession, Ollie became an instructor at the age of 16. He worked at Draycote for a couple of years, and in Vassiliki for the past 6 years. Since graduating he has been going on windsurf trips to Jeri and Cape Town during the winter. Ollie is a talented Freestyler with many of the new school tricks in his back pocket. He thinks windsurfing is one of the most amazing sports and that’s why he’s on a mission to get people excited about it!
Ollie in action
Jasper Gaddes : Advanced Instructor
Jasper became hooked on windsurfing aged 12 whilst on holiday in Greece, and back in the UK progressed through the RYA youth programme, until the lure of speed saw him switch to slalom racing, competing in the pro fleet on the UKWA slalom circuit. He caught the freestyle bug during family holidays at Club Vass, and now regularly lands one handed flakas and the occasional ponch. He loves to help people of all levels improve their windsurfing through his attentive teaching style. When not windsurfing or studying, you’ll probably find him freestyle skiing or dancing.
Will Spurdle : Advanced Instructor
Will was a relative late-comer to windsurfing, with his introduction to the sport aged 19, with mates in Poole Harbour. He has more than made up for it since, and has now been coaching sailing for over 10 years and windsurfing for 9 years in various locations worldwide, including Greece, France, the UK and UAE. His first windsurf passion was freeride but Will has now developed a hunger for freestyle. He loves to see the progression of guests throughout the week and particularly likes helping get new windsurfers to the next level and blasting! When not windsurfing, Will is a tree surgeon.
George Grisley: Advanced Instructor
George started windsurfing early – age 5 on the South Coast, his home spot. The passion for the sport is in the family, his mum used to work at Club Vass! George’s progression in his both his personal sailing and teaching is impressive. He’s now in his 3rd season at Club Vass and pleased to be passing on his skills at the highest level. George currently spends as much time as possible windsurfing, spending the winter in Cape Town and Morocco.
Finn Howard: Advanced Instructor
Finn’s love of windsurfing began when he was 10 on the south coast of England. His passion for the sport grew during holidays to Club Dahab in his early teens and a trip to Club Vass in the summer of 2015. After teaching in the UK for a few years he decided he’d rather go somewhere a bit warmer and get involved in the Club Vass lifestyle. Now in his 4th season here, Finn loves the atmosphere at Club Vass, especially the full power days and seeing people push their limits. He spent the winter in Cape Town and Morocco and his favourite moves are spocks & forwards.
Ana Berkley : Advanced Instructor
Ana brings a wealth of experience to the team. She learned to windsurf age 11 and has windsurfed in Vass, Cape Town and Tarifa, mixing it up with the boys in the waves! Ana loves coaching intermediates, particularly guiding them through their first steps on a short board, then getting going and into the foot straps. Recently qualified as an advanced instructor, Ana is looking forward to helping more people reach the next level. So, watch out for her on the water this summer with her cool flowing style on the water and probably the most extensive bikini collection on the beach!
Matt Mercer: Intermediate Planing Instructor
Matt began windsurfing aged 11 at Crosby Marina in Liverpool. His passion for windsurfing has gone through the roof since then! He spent his formative years developing his skills on flatwater before taking up wave sailing whilst at University, sailing Rhosneigr beach in Wales on almost every good forecast. Matt’s windsurfing was mostly self-taught so he loves to teach and share his skills with others; helping people quickly learn the windsurfing skills that took him a long time to gain without an instructor! Matt heads to Cape Town in the winter for some winter wave sailing when not in the UK.
Sean Driscoll : Intermediate Planing Instructor
Sean has been windsurfing for 6 years and mainly sails in Vass, although his home spot is West Kirby. He cut his teeth in the Club Vass kitchen and bar and worked on his windsurfing before moving to the beach 4 years ago. He loves teaching intermediates and especially seeing people’s reactions when they plane for the first time. On a personal level Sean loves a nice duck gybe. A Greek Island aficionado, Sean has also worked in Kos and Lemnos and last winter he worked a ski season in Meribel.
Sophie Owsianka : Intermediate Instructor
Sophie learned to windsurf at Club Vass aged 7 and hasn’t looked back; she’s been teaching for 10 years in the UK and 5 seasons at Club Vass. She loves helping people to progress and achieve their personal windsurfing goals. Sophie is a Marine Biology graduate and Dive Master and has managed to combine both her passions with some exotic assignments such as Bonaire and Mauritius, where she started a coral farm.
Sophie Baykoni : Intermediate Instructor
Sophie is a super outgoing instructor with tonnes of energy and enthusiasm for the sport. After coaching in her native Australia, Sophie is now in her second season at Club Vass. She especially loves working with the Pro Kids and she’ll be getting the kids flying this summer with her highly positive approach. As well as being a highly motivating instructor, Sophie’s personal windsurfing is going from strength to strength – she’s one to watch!
Sarah Robinson : Intermediate Instructor
Sarah started windsurfing over 10 years ago on a reservoir in Nottingham, before coming to Vass on a regular basis. She was also involved in Team 15 techno sailing. It’s now Sarah’s 4th season with us and she particularly enjoys it when a guest has a ‘lightbulb’ moment in windsurfing. On a personal level, duck gybes are a favourite. Sarah is studying medicine at Birmingham and she’s a talented gymnast & dancer too, often playing a key role in Friday night Ents!
Gwen Ludlow: Intermediate Instructor
Gwen’s windsurfing career started as part of Team 15 in the UK, spending most of her time at Rye Watersports. Gwen’s first experience of Club Vass was during her Flying Fish course where she shone. She hasn’t looked back and is now enjoying her second summer season teaching at Club Vass. Gwen has just graduated in Anthropology at Exeter an is looking forward to taking up a grad post in Jersey, ensuring she can continue windsurfing as much as possible.
Ollie Onslow : Intermediate Instructor
Ollie learnt to windsurf in Vass in 2015 and since then has windsurfed in Australia, Greece and Scotland. He worked as an instructor in Australia and Kos and Rhodes before finding his way to Club Vass.
Ivan Newark: Start Windsurf Instructor
Ivan grew up by the beach in Cape Town, where he is well known on the local scene as a top local surfer lifeguard and board repairer with Cape Doctor. The Club Vass crew regularly join him in CT during the winters. He has been windsurfing for well over 12 years now and particularly enjoys full power jumping in big waves alongside windsurfing and coaching in Pozo Izquierdo, Fuerteventura and Dahab.
Sponsers: Ezzy Sails, Mystic South Africa, Cape Doctor custom board
Ali Driver: Start Windsurf Instructor
Ali learned to windsurf on the H.O.A.C. Lake near London at the age of 12 and became an assistant instructor there aged only 14. Still windsurfs in and around London over the winter. She first came came to Vassiliki during summer 2018 where she completed a Flying Fish course and stayed on to work at Club Vass. Ali particularly enjoys teaching beginners and getting more people involved in the sport.
Julia Weitz : Start Windsurf Instructor
Julia first windsurfed in Club Vass 4 years ago and now she’s totally hooked! She’s been back every summer since, initially working behind the bar until she gained her instructor qualification and has been a great asset to the team, especially as our only German speaker. Julia particularly loves windsurfing because you never stop improving and she really enjoys that aspect of teaching.
Tom Peel : Start Windsurf Instructor
Tom has been windsurfing since he was a young boy and became an instructor aged 18. He completed 5 seasons, including one unforgettable one when he and a young Ollie Scott worked together and taught each other to Vulcan back in the early days of freestyle. He then left the beach to get a proper job, but after 10 years in a suit we’re pleased to say he’s back in his boardies. Tom’s stoked to be back, passing his passion & knowledge on to future windsurfers. Cape Town has become a second home, where Tom can be found pushing himself to the limits int he waves. Looks familiar? You may have seen him in a film scene with Jude Law & Colin Firth, playing a role close to his heart, a seaman!
Rachel Park: Start Windsurf Instructor
Rachel has been windsurfing since she was 8 and she’s such a Vass addict this is her preferred spot. It’s her first season on the team, having completed her Flying Fish course last summer. Rachel loves helping people to learn, especially seeing the progress from barely standing on the board to really getting going.
Charlie Connaughton
Charlie is a relative newbie to windsurfing, having been more of a dinghy sailor until 3 years ago. He’s made up for it big time and is now learning to vulcan! This is Charlie’s 2nd season at Club Vass and he finds teaching super rewarding, especially the ProKids. The rest of the year Charlie is studying french at Nottingham Uni and looking forward to a year in Paris. He’s also a talented photographer & filmmaker.
And watch this space for more details on the rest of the team…