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Steve West, born January 2nd 1961 in Ibadan Nigeria, West Africa of English parents, is a writer, author, researcher, water sports educator, athlete and designer of a variety of water sports related equipment. Beginning in 1980 as a freelance writer and photographer for Windsurfing publications, his career as a writer and journeyman is well documented through his annual KanuCulture Publications between 1995 and 2005, which centred on the Pacific-wide sport of Outrigger Canoeing culminating in a number of definitive publications centred on the sport. He then in 2014, released Stand Up Paddle, A Paddlers Guide Book the culmination of 5 years work, to coincide with the rapidly growing sport in which he took up in 2004, followed by definitive books relating to V1 (rudderless) and OC1 solo outrigger canoe paddling.

Between 1969-79 he attended Clifton College boarding school in Bristol England during which the family also resided in Freetown Sierra Leone, Dar es Salaam Tanzania, Kinshasa Zaire, Semarang Java and Cap Malheureux Mauritius. Introduced to game fishing with his father in Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Mauritius he nurtured an early affinity with the ocean which led to dinghy sailing, kayaking, spearfishing and other activities. A natural athlete, he represented Avon County and South West Counties English Schoolboys in athletics and held as many as six school records between athletics and swimming while also excelling in diving, boxing and rugby. He currently resides on Hayling Island in the South Coast of England, the birthplace of Windsurfing where the family home has been seen since 1967.

West's writing career began in 1980 as a freelance journalist, commissioning by UK Windsurfing magazines and working as editor of Boardsailing News with a circulation of 10,000. Writing focused on equipment reviews, events and all topics associated with windsurfing's evolution. Later he began writing for what was to become Australian Multihull World magazine while continuing to contribute to UK Windsurfing publications after moving to Australia in 1982.

In 1994 West began research for a book entitled KanuCulture, dedicated to the Pacific wide sport of Outrigger Canoeing, which would result in greater than 10 volumes being produced over as many years.

West's deep and personal study of Outrigger Canoeing and the subsequent KanuCulture books published, have been frequently quoted and used as sources of reference; US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health relating to injuries and medical conditions affecting competitive outrigger canoe paddlers,^[1] and studies relating the Impact of Technology On Sport ^[2] Additionally his work has been used when investigating Sustainability in Polynesian Island Culture and Ecosystems.^[3] and in the case of the New York Times' summation of Outrigger Canoeing.^[4]

West took up Windsurfing in 1979 when living in Mauritius and in 1980 became the Senior Windsurfing Instructor at Northney Boardsailing School on Hayling Island England, qualifying as both an International Windsurfing School (IWS) and Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Instructor. In addition he became the UK Board Sailing Association (UKBSA) Open Water Examiner for the South Coast region of England and travelled the country providing high-wind sailing clinics. In 1982, West was a member of the British Windsurfing Display Team, together with Lisa Vincent, Peter and Dee Caldwell travelling to Cairo Egypt to perform combined freestyle windsurfing on the River Nile to honour the birthday of President Anwar Sadat and in doing so, were the first to introduce Windsurfing to the River Nile.

From 1981-83 he was the Captain of the Peter Stuyvesant Windsurfing Display Team, performing at such venues as the London Boat Show in Earls Court, Brighton Boat Show, Southampton Boat Show and the European Water Skiing events with such names as Water Skiing legend Liz Hobbs. He was a co-founder of the Round Hayling Island Windsurfing Race in 1980 together with Peter Williams, which grew to become the largest participant race in the United Kingdom. In 2010 he was asked by Hayling Island Sailing Club (HISC) to introduce Standup paddleboarding (SUP) to the event and later in 2013 Outrigger Canoeing, in which West had been an active participant since 1989 in Australia.

West began sea kayaking at age 7, on Hayling Island and whenever in the UK this was his water sport up until he discovered Windsurfing at 18yrs. In 1989 after having moved to Mooloolaba Australia in 1982, he discovered Outrigger Canoeing and along with others, formed Mooloolaba Outrigger Canoe Club in that same year and today, one of the countries most celebrated. In 1998 and 1989 he was a crew member of the Mooloolaba Masters Outrigger Canoe Team which dominated as the world's best, winning the Hamilton Cup, Gold Coast Cup, National Titles and Molokai to Oahu race. He went on to be a member of Team New Zealand, in the infamous Ouvea to New Caledonia / Poindemie 130km race

In 1996, West was commissioned by the Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association (AOCRA) to create and write the content for the world's first Outrigger Canoeing Coaches Syllabus which he completed in 1997, subsequently approved and ratified by Australian Canoeing and the Australian Institute of Sport, crediting it as one of the most complete documents reviewed for paddlesports. The original course content formed the basis of subsequent content and training of Australian Outrigger Canoeing Coaches. West together with Chris Maynard, acted as joint National Coaching Directors of AOCRA for a period of 6 years, during which they ran instructor training courses and mentored Outrigger Canoeing Club paddlers in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, The Torres Strait Islands, Port Douglas, The Gold Coast, Queensland and Sunshine Coast, Queensland Australia.

In addition, West was the National Coaching Advisor and Assistant to the Fiji Outrigger Canoe Racing Association (FOCRA) for a period of 7 years, working closely with Colin Philp, involving the writing of training plans, development of paddling skills for South Pacific Games squads and other major events in the Pacific formed a central focus. West has a Level 1 and Level 2 Coaching Principles (Australia) qualifications together with an Elements of Shipboard Safety (Coxswains) qualification. In addition, West has also hosted Outrigger Canoeing clinics and talks at the Royal Canoe Club in London England and has worked on both TV and Radio, covering such events as the International Va'a Federation World Sprint Titles in Townsville Australia and Hilo, Hawaii and was a regular contributor to Torres Strait Radio in stimulating the sports growth amongst indigenous Torres Strait Islanders.

In 2009, West was commissioned by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALS) UK to create the Good Practice Guide for SUP, which necessitated identifying Safe Practice and Risk Management Practices as it applies to Stand Up Paddleboarding. This document was then used in conjunction with the Royal Naval Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in the further development of safe practice for the newly growing sport. In 2011 on the recommendation of Jamie Mitchell, West became the Academy of Surfing Instructors (ASI) UK and European SUP Director and Trainer which required a review of the current SUP Instructor Training Courses offered by the ASI. West subsequently introduced 3 more levels, writing and creating the course content for a Level 2 Exposed Waters Course, Level 3 Downwind Course and SUP Water Safety Rescue Award. In addition he introduced guided lesson plans, sequencing and methodologies for each of the courses including the Level 1 Enclosed Flat Water Course. Further to this, he worked on the concept of a Foundation Course for 'want to be' Instructors, setting basic standards, skills set and knowledge expected in order to progress towards instructor levels.

Departing from the ASI in 2014, he resided on Leleuvia Island Fiji for 6 months, researching and writing two books for V1 and OC1 while assisting with the development and promotion of Leleuvia as an eco-tourism destination for water sports. During this time Ben Longhurst and Chris Rea whom West had qualified as ASI Trainers, hatched the idea to create a newly formed water sports training body which West would name, the Water Skills Academy (WSA). On his return the WSA was formalised and courses created in which West once again contributed throughout many of the courses, WSA Water SUP Safety and Rescue, WSA SUP Foundation Instructor, WSA SUP Downwind Instructor.

Beginning in 1995, West worked extensively with In Front Communications Australia, promoting Hamilton Island Australia as a paddling destination for international outrigger canoeing teams to travel to compete in the annual Hamilton Cup Event. With promotion from his KanuCulture publications, teams attended from the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Hong Kong, Guam, New Zealand, Canada, New Caledonia in addition to teams from Hawaii and other parts of the world. From 1997 West began working with Tahiti Tourism, promoting in particular the annual Hawaiki Nui Va'a race between Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa and Bora Bora to overseas teams to attend.

• Outrigger Canoeing - The Art and Skill of Steering West ISBN
• Outrigger Canoeing - OC6 The Sport of Kings ISBN
• Outrigger Canoeing - V1 ISBN
• Outrigger Canoeing - OC1 ISBN
• KanuCulture Volume 1 1995
• KanuCulture Volume 2 1996
• KanuCulture Volume 3 1997
• KanuCulture Volume 4 1998
• KanuCulture Volume 5 1999
• KanuCulture Volume 6 2000
• KanuCulture Volume 7 2001
• KanuCulture Volume 8 2002
• KanuCulture Volume 9 2003

All his KanuCulture books can be read and downloaded complete and unabridged free of charge.

• ASI Level 1
• ASI Level 2 Exposed Waters
• ASI Level 3 Downwind
• ASI SUP Water Safety Rescue
• WSA Level 1
• WSA Level 2
• WSA Level 3
• WSA SUP Water Safety Rescue

• A History of Mistral Windsurfing

World Paddle Awards Media Winner 2014

Australian Outrigger Canoeing (AOCRA) Outstanding Achievement Award 1997