Rippers / Kids Courses
Since 1999, X-Train has pioneered running kids windsurfing and watersports courses. X-Train cater for children as your as 5 years old!
“We felt if kids can learn to ski at the age of 2, they can learn to windsurf at 5!” – Simon Bassett (X-Train Director)
Simon tested the coaching ideas on his daughter Holly who started windsurfing when she was just over 2 years old with special kids’ rigs imported from Hotsails in Maui Hawaii.
We have many years experience in running our massively successful, fun packed children’s courses in which the individual child’s safety and specific requirements are paramount.
The Teaching Area
The teaching area we use is a the shallow, waist-deep lagoon that is protected from the open sea by sand bars at low tide. The courses mainly on windsurfing but also include power-kiting, stand up paddle surfing, bodyboarding / surfing and kayaking (according to the weather) to help teach wind and wave awareness. X-Train use their “point and shoot ©” teaching method. The children are not only taught about the sports but they are also introduced to the “X-Train Ocean Experience” and tides, currents clouds and weather forecasts are all covered in a fun, easy to understand way.
X-Train provide courses for children of all ages, trying not to mix younger and older children together in the same group.
Equipment and Instructors
X-Train provide the children with everything needed to participate, inlcuding a high-quality, single lined glued and blind-stitched wetsuit and buoyancy aid. West Wittering Windsurf Club also have a warm, dry club house with hot showers, changing rooms and as much tea and coffee as you want so you can eat your lunch in comfort. In fact, the only thing you need to bring is your towel.
The kit: To make life easy X-Train teach children on wide style windsurf boards with miniature kids rigs, small diameter booms suitable for children.
All the X-Train instructors are fully RYA-qualified and are hand-picked to ensure the best learning experience plenty of fun whilst still learning!
All instructors carry UHF radios, we have jet-ski rescue and there are life-guards on West Wittering beach in the summer months.
The Courses
- The 3 day Rippers Kids Windsurfing Course (Age 7-12) is a fun 3-day introduction to windsurfing, surfing / bodyboarding and powerkiting.
- The Litte Rippers Kids Windsurfing Course (Age 5-7) is the first step on the ocean for the young guns. We use the same equipment as the 3 day Rippers Course but this is a more gentle introduction with extra instructors who undertand the requirements of young kids braving the elements.
- The 1 Day Rippers advanced kids windsurfing clinic (Age 7-12) is a windsurfing course aimed at more advanced kids.
- The Watermans’ After School Kids Windsurfing Club (Age 7-12) is an after school introduction to windsurf, surf and powerkite (depending on the tides and conditions)
- The Saturday Surf Kids Surfing Club (Age 7-12) is a 2 hour course run every saturday with a mix of windsurf, surf and powerkite depending on the conditions and tide
- The Rippers Kids Surfing Course(Age 7-12) is a child specific learn to surf course
- The Rippers Kids Kitesurfing Course (Age 12+) is a child specific learn to kitesurf course
For children under 11 parents must stay on site. 11+: parents can leave mobile tel whilst the course is running and pick up at the end of session.
