Adrenalin junky interview

Former world champion windsurfer, Nigel Howell, is an adrenalin junky. He breezed into windsurfing when he was 14, but his career gathered knots when he was doing the student travelling thing. He entered an Australian wave competition and, to his  surprise, he came second. Back home, and buoyed up by his success in Australia, he entered the UK Wavesailing and Slalom Championships, and shock horror he won it. This led to a sponsorship deal and a world tour. After returning to Australia, he moved to Maui, Hawaii, and did his surfing on Hookipa Beach and the famous North Shore. Some of his achievements include: Multiple UK Windsurfing Pro Tour, Wavesailing UKWA Champion, World Champion Windsurf Wavesailing event winner PWA Pro Tour Portugal 1992, and UK Champion Kitesurf Wave Pro Tour 2006. He tells Adrenamag what gives him a buzz.

How did you get into it windsurfing and kitesurfing?

Always wanted to surf, but did not have a car.  Started to windsurf
in 1973, when boards weighed a ton and sails were like bags.
Once I could drive to the surf spots I started surfing and then
combined it with wavesailing and windsurfing so I could both when
travelling.

Who’s your extreme sports hero?

I admire all top sports people (and I try to do as many as sports as I can) but I guess my routes are watersports and the influences are Ken Black – a windsurfing pioneer and now a top windsurf designer – and Robby Naish – the legendary US kite boarding world champion. They are the most incredible watersports competitors of my generation.

What’s the greatest extreme sports thrill you’ve had?

Riding waves is generally amazing whether on a kite or surfboard,
I guess times in Maui had the biggest waves.  Sailing up to Jaws – an outer reef break about 10km upwind of Hookipa Beach, Maui – on a small day is fun.  It breaks up to 70 ft on the big days. When we were in Maui,  it had only just been discovered, now it is being tow surfed on huge days.

Where are the best locations to windsurf?

One of the best watersports locations is probably the Isle of Wight, but for surf alone Cornwall, Ireland and Scotland have some amazing spots. Maui or Oahu in Hawaii has to be best for waves. Australia also has some great spots, such as Esperance and Margaret River in Western Australia.

Which is better windsurfing or kitesurfing?

Very similar really.  I only kite now with surfboards anyway so its
more like tow-in surfing but with a kite – no foot straps, just a
waxed-up standard  6′ 1” surfboard.

What would be your advice to someone who’s thinking about windsurfing or kitesurfing?

Try it!

What other extreme sports are you into?

Surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, sup – paddle surfing – skate, wakeboard, water ski and mountain biking – a bit.

What’s the next big thing in Extreme Sports?

White Air Brighton.

Tips on how to start windsurfing

You only need two – have a basic lesson and buy or hire some kit. It’s
amazingly easy to use, you will get going straightaway.

Tell us about how you turned your hobby into your day job…
Started White Air Brighton to promote a surfboard and windsurf board company we
had and this progressed into the festival we have today.  I wanted to
highlight all extreme sports and no one else was doing it.

How to dive into watersports:

Try as many as you can before investing in any expensive equipment. Then choose one that rocks your boat. Activity providers will include basic tuition.

want to try this activity? – click here

White Air Brighton is Europe’s largest Extreme Sports festival and is on in Brighton from September 18th to 20th. For more details: https://www.whiteair.co.uk/tv

Useful websites:
https://www.studentwindsurfing.co.uk
https://www.ukwindsurfing.com/
https://www.rya.org.uk/windsurfing