Steve West
Steve West is an ocean sports writer, educator and ocean sports participant. He is a former RYA and IWS senior instructor and UKBSA open water examiner. As one of the UKs pioneering windsurfing professionals during the late 70s early 80s, he worked extensively in the promotion of windsurfing demonstrating at London, Brighton, Southampton boat shows, water sports events, appearing on TV and radio, contributing regularly to magazines, technical articles, equipment testing and reviews and was a member of the British Boardsailing Display Team.
Finishing as Britain's 2nd highest place getter at the Bacardi World Cup in 1981 in the Freestyle event and highest finisher in the Ins and Outs event, Steve's preference was for wave sailing without rules. Traveling to Lefkas island in Greece in the early 80s he provided a feasibility study to create what is now one of the largest windsurfing holiday centres in the world, Club Vassiliki. He moved to Australia in 1983 to further pursue his windsurfing career working for magazines, sail makers and event organizers. In 1983 he was the Australian National Freestyle Champion.
For the past 20 years Steve has dedicated his life to the study of outrigger canoeing throughout the Pacific, as a writer, researcher and competitor. Living for the past 25 years on Australia's Queensland Sunshine Coast, world famous for its ocean sports and sports men and women, Steve has been fortunate enough to live amongst some of the world's most accomplished ocean sports paddlers and surfers. He has been a team member (outrigger canoeing) with such names as Grant Kenny Australia's most famous Iron Man and multiple Molokai to Oahu surf ski winner and also with Jamie Mitchell, the worlds best ever paddleboard champion, Danny Sheard, Chris Maynard and many other world class ocean athletes.
Since 1994 he has devoted his time to the development of Outrigger Canoeing throughout the Pacific. Ten books later, he is considered a world leading authority on the subject, writing the worlds first outrigger canoeing coaching manual and was Australia’s National Coaching Director for five years and Fiji's National Coaching Consultant to the South Pacific Games Squad for 6 years. He has twice won the world championship Masters division of the prestigious 66km Molokai to Oahu, Molokai Hoe race and the Hamilton Cup International event on numerous occassions and remains a record holder in the 16km and 500m team events.
His focus now is on the development of Stand Up Paddlingboarding in the UK and Europe, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge of open ocean canoe sports. Steve represents the Academy of Surfing Instructors (ASI) as their SUP UK Training Manager in 2011.
Publications
10 Books - Kanu Culture – Outrigger Canoeing International Handbook 1995-2005
Kanu Culture Ocean Sports Magazine 2005-2007
The Art and Skill of Steering - Outrigger Canoeing
A Paddler’s Guide to Outrigger Canoeing
Level One Coaching Manual AOCRA Ratified by Australian Sports Commission.
'For anyone interested in the Pacific-wide sport of outrigger canoeing, this is the definitive look at the sport.'
Canoe & Kayak Magazine USA
'Your book is Biblical to the outrigger community, particularly in such outrigger desolate areas as New York. Kanu Culture is indispensable.'
Roger Meyer - New York USA
'Many, many thanks for your dedication to the sport of va`a in our lives. You have enriched our knowledge and enthusiasm in our club and I am sure of clubs worldwide.' Leon Rossbottom - Head Coach Hong Kong Island Paddle Club.
'Rarely have I seen a sports publication that delivers this kind of quality and value. For those of us just getting started with paddling, your volumes are a gift from the Gods.' Mike Berwind - Maui
'Once again your latest book is well done and a great reflection of the paddler lifestyle and the sport itself.'
Dale Hope - Author The Aloha Shirt - Hawai`i
Some Career Highlights, Qualifications and Positions Held
British Windsurfing Display Team Member
UK Board Sailing Open Sea Examiner
Royal Yachting Association Senior Instructor
International Windsurfing Schools Instructor
First windsurfer to sail on the River Nile.
Co-Founder of the UKs Around Hayling Island Race
Level 1 Coaching Principles (Aust)
Level 2 Coaching Principles (Aust)
Level 1 Outrigger Canoeing Coach (Aust)
Elements of Shipboard Safety (Coxswains)
Co National Coaching Director AOCRA (Aust) with C. Maynard (5yrs)
Co National Coaching Director FOCRA (Fiji) with C. Philp (6yrs)
Founder of AOCRA Coaching / Author of Manuals
Founded Kanu Culture 1994
Author of 12 Books on the subject of Outrigger Canoeing
Founding member and Vice President Mooloolaba OCC 1990
Former Vice President Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association
Former Secretary Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association.
Team New Zealand Crew 1998 New Caledonia
Twice Winner of Molokai to Oahu OC6 Masters Division
Multiple Winner at Australia's Hamilton Cup and Record Holder
Former International Polynesian Canoe Federation Delegate
2009 AALS (UK) Authored the Good Practice Guide for SUP
2010 Team Starboard Racing Team UK 12'6" Captain (SUP)
2011 Academy of Surfing Instructors SUP UK Training Manager
Steve has raced and paddled in some of the world's toughest outrigger canoe events and has worked extensively with Tahiti Tourism, Fiji Visitors Bureau and the Travel Associations of Palau, Guam and Saipan and with Australia's Hamilton Island Resort Management over 14 years in the development and promotion of their International Outrigger Canoeing event.
Has raced in these events either once, twice or on multiple occasions.
Hawaiki Nui Va`a (French Polynesia, Huahine, Raitea, Taha, Bora Bora) 2 Times
Newport to Catalina (California)
Molokai Hoe (Molokai to Oahu - Hawaii) Winner Twice
Hamilton Cup (Hamilton Island Australia) 17 Times
Gold Coast Cup (Gold Coast Australia) 10 Times
Micronesian Cup (Saipan and Palau) 2 Times
Bay of Islands (New Zealand)
Hauraki Hoe (Auckland New Zealand) 2 Times
Ouvea to Poindimie (New Caledonia)
Fiji International (Fiji)
Mandy West is a keen photographer, musician and lover of ocean water sports; a past professional windsurfer and now converted Stand Up Paddler. She attended Hayling Island Secondary School and met husband Steve in April 1980 when learning to Windsurf at Northney Marina, where Steve was the Senior Instructor. Mandy, is a talented Saxophonist who has played in BB King's Blues Bar in Memphis Tennessee, played with Earl Gibson of the Sensational Inkspots at Hammerstone's Missouri, played at the Oyster Bar Missouri, jammed with Arthur Lee Williams and Chuck Berry's key board player, played at the 100th Anniversary of the Harley Davidson Motorbike in Memphis and played for Budweiser Beer in Arkansas. She also played in the opening line up for the Gloucester Blues Festival and more besides.
Mandy has competed in gruelling outrigger canoe racing events in both Australia and Fiji and loves to be on or near the water as much as possible. As a sponsored Windsurfer during the 1980s, she raced for Elvstrom and has been a past round Hayling Island winner and UK National Champion runner up. Mandy has just been recruited as a UK Starboard Race Team Member for 2010 (Stand Up Paddleboarding). During 2010 she competed in a variety of SUP events in the UK winning several events including the Head of the Dart and the Blackpool Sands events and runner up in several other events. She is currently training to be an ASI SUP Instructor.