All About Amanda

An interview with one of windsurfing's top women, Amanda van Santen. 

Amanda is one of the few women working at the top of the windsurfing industry in the UK. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience from various jobs teaching watersports, and has carved herself a successful career within the RYA now being a major part of developing windsurfing across the country. Flo finds out about Amanda, her career to date, her love of windsurfing and why more women should work in the industry:

Name: Amanda Van Santen

Date of Birth: March 1977

Years windsurfing: 10

Windsurfing level: Getting there!

Home town: Chesham, Buckinghamshire

Current Location: Cowes, Isle of Wight

Hi Amanda how are you? Just returning from the IWG conference in Sydney – Glad to me finally on my way home, I seem to have been travelling all over the place recently!

What inspired you to get into windsurfing? I love the outdoors and anything to do with water. I learnt to sail, surf and windsurfing all at the same time – it wasn’t a pretty start, especially learning to windsurf, but I loved being on the water.

Where were you when you first got out on a board? Can you remember the experience well? I remember the experience really well, I was at a centre called Outdoor Adventure, Widemouth Bay, Cornwall. I hated it at first, it seemed so difficult, but I was really determined to get better, it was November – probably not the best time of year to take up a water sport, but seeing everyone else around me windsurfing drove me to keep trying.

I understand your passion for windsurfing led you into working in the industry, can you give us a rundown of your career to date? What other countries has your work taken you to?

My passion for being outside and wanting to teaching people led me to work in the industry. I taught Kayaking and Sailing first as I found them easier sport to begin with. I developed my windsurfing a little later on and become completely gripped.

Initially my Watersports started at Outdoor Adventure, Cornwall, where I gained my instructor qualifications. I remember teaching my first group and seeing them progress, it was such an amazing feeling! I just knew this is what I wanted to do. After a few years at Outdoor, I looked to work overseas, it wasn’t really where I wanted to go, but I just wanted maximum time on the water coaching and I knew this would happen overseas. I applied for a few jobs and started working for Minorca Sailing Holidays as a Windsurfing instructor – I remember arriving at the centre and just seeing rack after rack of windsurfing boards and sails – I thought I was in heaven!

I stayed with Minorca for 4 years, but during this time I had met, my now fiancée, Tom Buggy. Tom was working at UKSA, Cowes and I really wanted to gain my Windsurfing Trainers appointment with the RYA, which would enable me to run Instructor Training on behalf of the RYA.

I decided to try and work back in the UK. Luckily UKSA offered me a job and I moved to Cowes. Shortly after returning to the UK and gaining my RYA Trainers Appointment, UKSA offered Tom and I a role out in Australia, at their centre on the Sunshine Coast, just north of Brisbane. As a newly appointed Trainer, I was employed to train students in windsurfing and get them ready to take their instructor qualifications, after which I would then train them to become instructors.

A few months in the RYA contacted me regards my current post and if I would be interested in applying, it had been a job I aspired to. I thought I would apply and see what happened - After  all we were living in paradise,  so had nothing to lose!!......... and here I am!! I got the job after two gruelling interviews.

Being a windsurfing instructor has taken me to some amazing places, here are just a few:

All over the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and NI

Australia

Maui

Minorca

Canaries

Greece

France.........the list goes on!

You now work for the RYA, what is your job title and what does the role involve?

Chief Windsurfing Instructor,  RYA Training Department

Mmm it may be easier to say what it doesn’t cover!  On a serious note, The department I work in looks to maximise participation and maintain standards of training and safety. I manage and administer the RYA Windsurfing Schemes, youth and adult, the instructor and trainer pathways and their appointments, accompanying publications and resources, and the accreditation of the RYA Recognised Centres.

I think that’s it.........I also work closely with other departments within the RYA, such as Sailability to ensure the accessibility of windsurfing to all.

What would be your advice to women who are thinking about working in the windsurfing or other sporting industries?

Go for it, being into windsurfing and taking my instructor qualifications has taken me to some amazing places where I have met some fantastic people. I lacked confidence when I was growing up, windsurfing along with other sports I grow up taking part in have helped me. I have never faced any problems being a female in sport, however it would be nice to see more on the water – I get a little bored with the testosterone pumping!! I strongly believe there are career prospects in the industry too – I like that is often an area of concern.

Where do you usually windsurf? Are there other females that you windsurf with? 

I normally windsurf on the Isle of Wight. There is a good group of us that sail together, mainly men – but they are really supportive. There are a couple of girls too and we have a real laugh.

When you have enough time off work to head a little further afield where do you go? What is your favorite windsurfing holiday location?

My favourite location has to be Maui, I’ve been there a few times now and it’s such an amazing place, fairly close would also be Western Australia and The Canaries. However there is nothing better than sailing at home with your mates and the island has some fantastic sailing!

Any other hidden talents or passions you have?

I love cycling and running. The island is great for cycling and on a nice sunny day when there is no wind there’s nothing better!

What type of windsurfing do you tend to do the most? And how are you trying to progress with you windsurfing at the moment?

Mainly waves, I really like the diversity and challenges, different locations bring.  I would love to be a better wave sailor and having recently learnt to forward loop I would like to also be able to back-loop. Fingers crossed for a windy summer!

What is your favorite equipment set up and why?

I’m currently sailing Severne Sails and the Wood Carbon Evo, it’s lovely, however I am on the lookout for a twin fin. After sailing one on a recent holiday, they are so nice and loose to sail.

What length harness lines do you use and why? 

28/30, I find them a really comfortable length, although Tom keeps sabotaging my kit and trying to get me to sail with longer lines.

Any top tips for ladies on setting up their equipment? And any other general windsurfing tips?

I tend to always seek out light sails and boards, of which I have a great combination at the moment and it makes a big difference to my sailing. It’s often hard to find a good set up, but importers run demo days etc, I would really suggest speaking to them, going along and finding kit that really works for you – A fellow male sailor may not be able to provide you with the best advice, as us women tend to weigh less and be less aggressive with our sailing!

What is the one item, aside from your windsurf kit, that you wouldn’t leave home without when going windsurfing?

A warm jumper! I hate getting off the water and being cold!

Hours on the water is great for your fitness, but it must take a toll on your body too, what do you do to help your body recover after a weekend on the water? What beauty/body care products do you use?

Ashamedly none!!

What other sports do you enjoy doing and why? Do you think they help improve your windsurfing too?

Running, cycling, paddle boarding, going to the gym... I enjoy anything that takes me outside or keeps me fit. Tom says I’m a nightmare if I have too much energy! They definitely all help windsurfing. I think general fitness just helps you to stay on the water for longer and makes you try more things. I also really like being in water, I think that helps a lot – especially when you don’t mind falling in!

What would be your advice to any woman thinking of trying windsurfing? And why do you think they should?

Go for it, it’s so much fun, keeps you fit and the social is great!

Why do you love windsurfing?

All of the above!! The feeling on the water, the people, the way it keeps testing you, the places I have visited and just the enjoyment of doing something different.

Quickfire questions

icecream or chocolate? Chocolate

flat water or waves? Waves, I’m so bad at freestyle!

short shorts or big boardies? Mmmm, depends were I’m sailing – often a little extra cloth helps on impact!

waist or seat harness? Waist, but a seat never goes a miss if you are looking for speed

tea or coffee? Tom and I are coffee snobs – Lavazza all the way!

sunshine and light winds or rain and strong winds? Strong winds, living in the Uk I think you get used to the rain!

favorite movie Frost Nixon – I thought it was amazing, but for a chick flic it has to be The Holiday

favorite song At the moment, anything  by John Butler Trio, saw him recently in concert and he was brilliant

favorite drink Water! We were brought up drinking lots of water, but in the need for an alcoholic drink Corona or a nice glass of red!!

favorite place My house in Cowes, my job takes me away a lot so I really appreciate my time at home with Tom

favorite piece of clothing My new superdry hoodie, although I managed to stain it on a recent curry outing, my brother bought it for me, it’s a real snuggler!