Premier Ski Club Coaching Clinic at Pentney Lakes

Continuing my East side of England Coaching Tour, I moved on to Premier Ski Club at Pentney Lakes near King Lynn for my Sunday's Coaching Clinic. The beautiful weather was set to continue for the day and really set the stage for another perfect day on the water. It has been 5 years since my last coaching day at Premier and I was most excited to be back on their site working with their members. Kelly & Nigel who run the site, are extremely keen to support the sport and create an amazing facility to enjoy our sport. Premier is the tournament lake opperating with a club boat, running along side a larger boat owners lake with skiers of all levels enjoying towed sports and the lakeside lifestyle many beautiful sites like this around the UK offer year round.
Pentney Lakes has one of the largest collections of amazing cabin a log style lodges and homes I have ever seen on my travels, I can't think of a better environment to raise and enjoy time with your family in. The is nothing like Lake-Life to bring and keep families together whilst creating a life time of memories that will last for ever!

Kelly and son Will getting ready for his first coached set of the day, Will took part in the Cutting Edge event at Ten-80 a few weeks ago and did fantstic.
Well Done Will, keep up the great skiing!



It was a pleasure to have Steve Kick come over from the Boat owners lake and take a lesson with me, after having Steve change a couple of key things in his technique he was soon starting to feel the rewards of taking a lesson and being pointed in the right direction. Taking a coaching season or two each season, will only ensure progression in your skiing and raise enjoyment and safety levels no end.



Mike Hornagold skiing great with his new keys and approach to his slalom in the course. Mike is now setting himself up wider for the gate turn and following his ski more in his goodside lean, this will allow Mike to bring the high intencity lean down that he previously adopted and will give far more control over the speed he carries over to his offside turn greatly increasing his balance, confidence and consistancy in his weaker turn. This will only promote better buoy count performace and scores.

Congatulations to Mike Hornagold Junior for taking the Silver medal at this years Europeam Senior Championships!

Bluebird Ski Club, Norwich

I was very excited to be going back to Norwich after more than 10 years have past since my last visit, where does the time go. Simon Wooldridge the Chairman of the Bluebird Club and I talked about putting another coaching day after his trip out to our school in Orlando last Easter. I was very Intriged about being to work with some deaf skiers after learning that the club catered for the deaf which accounted for arround 30% of BlueBirds membership.
I was able to catch up and stay with a good friend of mine Matt Becker from Lotus Cars who also skis at the BlueBird lake, although is a member of the Norwich Ski Club who share the water with Bluebird. Both clubs use the lake three days a week each and have alternate use on the 7 day, amazing really that two clubs have found away to share one piece of water for the enjoyment and sport of water skiing.
There is a tramendous enthusiasum at this club and a broard spectrum of performance and age which really high lights the history in a club and the love for the sport gained by all involved.
I feel extremely privilaged to have had this opportunity to work with some of the deaf skiers and thurily enjoyed my visit to this wonderful club.
I will deffinately be returning next season to coach if Bluebird are keen to host another fantastic day on the water continuing to build and strengthening the foundation of this sport in the UK as they have for so many year to date.
Great work Bluebird, keep up your fantstic efforts in the sport!

Mike and the members of Bluebird enjoying the beautiful British summer atleast for that day!


We couldn't have asked for better weather for the clinic, roasting in September, more of that please!


Malcolm,a deaf skier and a new comer to the sport and could not get enough of it. Fanastic to see Malcolm, keep up the great skiing my friend!
Thank you to Sue for the sign language, I would have deffinately struggled with the coaching without your great help!

Coaching Clinic at Cotswold Water Park Ski Club

6.00am Saturday morning and it was time head down to the Cotswold Water Park Ski Club, I had stayed the night with family in Doncaster and I had a 3 hour drive ahead of me. The beautiful weather was forecast to continue over from what was a perfect Friday on the water, when I arrived at CWWSC Saturdays weather was no exception.
Another glass calm day on the water in brilliant sunshine.

I met all the excited kids booked in for the clinic and we got started.

Could the conditions be any better!


I held a question and answer session over the lunch break and we set out a different understanding and thought process.


Bring it on!


We are already planning more days at the CWWSC

Two clinics in one day

My day started with leaving Princes at 4.30am to arrive in Wigan by 8.00 am, stopping to get fuel at the services I was thinking how cool the air felt as you could see your breath in the air when breathing. I was a beautiful crisp morning thought and I got future toward Wigan the air temp was rising, the sun was shunning nicely and the air was a still as could be. I could not tell you the last time I had seen it so still, a huge contrast to the 3 Sister Pro- Am Grandprix event were it rained hard all day long with temps representing the arrival of winter. The 11th of September was a different story though and maybe we might behave this informas Indian summer they always talk about! This would be my fourth day coaching at the 3 Sister this season and the members are all having great fun with their skiing.

3 Sister Wigan looking and feeling like Orlando



1.30pm and it was time to head over to the Weaver Water Skin Club in Frodsham to coaching for the afternoon. This would be my first visit to the River Weaver being no stranger to river skiing in my youth I was really looking forward to it. I arrived on site and the weather could not have been more beautiful, sun shunning, everyone in swimware and the water was like a sheet of glass. The MasterCrfat Nightmare boat from the London Night jump was on loan for the day and the skiers were pumped for skiing. Simon Sharp who had put the day together with the members, had spent a great deal of time building a wire and boom slalom course strong enough to withstand the current of the river and three years ago created a whole new challenge for he members. I got to see more fresh young talent on the water that day and feel privileged to have been invited to another ski site in the UK that I had not been to before. I had an amazing time that day and very much look forward to returning next season for more coaching tips.

Sun setting on the Weaver


Jonathan and Jemma Richards spending quality time together, look out for Jemma in the future of British Water Skiing.

Ten-80 Coaching Clinic

I have another fantastic time coaching at Ten-80 near Tamworth, once again Simon James and Ollie Dunn welcomed me to their site and took great care of me whilst there. It was very cool to see more young talent from the area really doing well and having put what they had learnt on last years clinic into to action.

Ed Blundel taking to the water


Great weather at Ten-80 today


Members hanging out on the deck at Ten-80

Sunday August 16th and heading back out to Aqua Sports on Pinki Lake in Riga, Latvia
The skiers at this brand new ski venue and all doing great with their new skills on the water and their performances are really coming together!

My Driver Ineta


Ugis Cinis the organizer

Just finished my first day of coaching in Riga, Latvia today. What a great bunch of people! The weather was a mixed bag of sun, rain and wind, but this did not change the mood from excitment and thrills. Ugis Cins and his family are responsable for putting this clinic together as well as convincing the local manicupality to allow them to put a slalom course in Pinki Lake and found their new ski club since June of this year. I am very much looking forward to teaching for the next two days here in Riga.

Pinki Lake, Riga



Ugis Cins and his family

Coaching Clinics Houston, Texas July 24th, 25th, 26th

I was very excited to be going back to Lago Santa Fe, Texas this past weekend to Coaching, I would like to say a huge thank you to Lori & Donny Covington for promoting and hosting the clinic from there property on Lago, The success of these clinics were down to them and would like to personally thank them for that and wish them all the best for the up coming birth of their second child in 3 months.

A full report on the Clinics will follow shortly

My Student of the Week at Lago Santa Fe was for sure Harry Feldman from Dallas, I had met Harry two years ago and then he move to Texas. After his mother Vicki heard I was coming to Houston, they booked up and drove 5 hours and to part on all three days of Clinics. Harry goal is to be a three event champion and has just started jumping. I believe this will become Harry's favorite event, actually after the Clinics I think it already is his favorite. Keep up the great skiing Bud, you are rocking on the water and already a little Champion in my eyes!!! JF.