About Easyriders – Watersports School Poole
Easyriders is a dedicated kiteboarding and SUP watersports school. It was formed in 2004 and is based in the perfect waters of Poole Harbour in Dorset. It is a recognized BKSA Kitesurfing, BSUPA Stand up paddleboarding and RYA powerboating school. It offers tuition from beginner to expert in kitesurifng, powerkiting, kitelandboard and buggy, Wakeboarding, Powerboating Stand up paddleboarding and first aid including instructor courses in many waterpsorts disciplines.
It was founded by Andy Gratwick – Andy has been in the watersports game since 1994, teaching everything from windsurfing to boating to kitesurfing. Andy has taught on every continent of the globe, with over 17 years of experience, he is the Head of training for the BKSA and an instructor trainer for the BSUPA, teaching the Kite and Paddleboard instructors of tomorrow.
‘I LOVE TEACHING, WHAT I DO AND HOW WE DO IT’ – Andy, Tahiti, Jan 2010…working!
The Team
No centre is complete without a great team. Easyriders has a big team of great instructors who are handpicked for their skills, passion and good person‘ness’
Easyriders’ driving force is Andy Gratwick. With over 17 years experience of teaching windsurfing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, sailing and numerous other watersports, Andy is one on the UK’s most experienced instructors on both water and snow. He plays an active role within the BKSA (British Kitesports Association) as Head of Training.
He is very proactive with a number of initiatives to progress kitesurfing tuition worldwide, and within the UK. He recently wrote the first ISAF kiteboarding book and teaching scheme and is working on projects all over the world.
Now that he’s getting old he prefers to compete in course racing in the UK and won a few events in his time.
Will is the senior instructor and runs the day to day oporations at Easy Riders for both paddle boarding and kitesurfing. Having a life time experience of watersports he has now made a career through instructing and coaching and has taught accross the globe in countries such as New Zealand, Vietnam, Brazil and Barbados and is alsways looking to further his progression in the sport.
Amanda has been involved with Easyriders since the beginning. She is responsible for the orange! The logo, graphics of the company…good we say. Amanda is a kitesurf and SUP instructor. She helps on many of the overseas clinics, and is loving being back on the water after a year off with an acl recon….the twin tip and freestyle is her bag.
With a long history with local clothing brand Animal, we are stoked to have Louise who joined the team in 2012.
Lou runs the office side of things and keeps us, and all the paperwork in order. She is also the brains behind our ladies sup evenings and loves getting out with the girlies on a thursday evening during the summer months.
Darryl proudly rocks a wakeboard boot set up and can be found in the harbour when ever the wind blows. Dedicated to the sport he loves teaching and always keeps him self active. When not attached to a kite hes either throwing moves down at the wake cable, hanging from his finger tips rock climbing or polishing his latest flashy mod to his shiny VW van that we’re all secretly a bit jealous of.