Welcome to our junior windsurfing club at Polkerris Beach which started in September 2008. The idea is to get out on the water regularly, have fun and learn to windsurf well.

We are part of the national Team 15 scheme: a network of about 80 junior windsurfing clubs around the country. It's organised by the RYA and is simple and effective, eventually giving people a chance to go to a series of windsurfing events around Cornwall and Devon. See the Team15 website for more information on the national scheme.

The idea is to make each weekly session as cheap as possible while keeping it fun and safe, so we operate on a part-voluntary basis with help from parents. Our chief Team15 instructor is George. He was a Team 15 member and then became an instructor four years ago. In 2007 he worked at a leading windsurfing centre in the Med (Club Vass) and is now one of the top youth windsurfers in the UK. He also works for Tushingham, the windsurfing equipment manufacturer as their demo man, so he's not here every weekend.

In 2009 we had around 25 members, with many continuing from 2008 and the rest starting as a complete beginner. Some fine weather in the autumn allowed everyone to make great progress and by the end of the season we had some skilful windsurfers, competent to enjoy high winds and start racing. A Sport Unlimited grant allowed us to buy more junior equipment, increasing the number of people we could have on the water at one time.