Name - Simon Hammond

Age - 39

Height - 176cm or 5 foot 9inches

Weight - 12 stone

Job/Education - International Surf Kayak Coach, PE Teacher and Outdoor Pursuits Professional

Current boats paddled - Mega Slingshot and Mega Cyclone

Location - Bude, North Cornwall

Started Kayaking - 1979 with 1st Bude Scouts. First paddled a Snipe in the surf before the first Australian Surf Skis came across to this country in the early 1980's. Paddled a Raider Ski for many years before getting into Surf Kayaking.

Started competing in Surf - 1998 when I paddled for Cornwall in the Inter-Celtic Watersports Festival which that year was hosted in Bude.

Worlds/National Results - Rankings - High Performance World Champion 2003 to 2005

Kayaking High's/Low's - My lowest point was very soon after I started kayaking. As a member of Bude Scouts I was involved in a summer camp next to the River Wye at a campsite called Biblins. With a total lack of understanding of river currents we attempted to stretch a rope across the river as a safety line for anyone falling out of their kayaks up stream! I volunteered to take this rope across but just as I reached the opposite bank the current caught the rope and ripped me out of my kayak (I had tied the rope around my waist!). The current then dragged me downstream until the rope went tight and then dragged me to the bottom of the river, the other end of the rope being tied to a tree! Lets just say that there was more panic on the river bank than under the river where I was quietly drowning and after some time the rope was cut and I was rescued by a couple of friendly kayakers.

No matter what other acheivements I gain my highest moment will always be winning the 2003 World Championships at Easkey on the West coast of Ireland. I can still picture the moment when the final results were posted and my friends came running towards me whooping and shouting. The feeling was incredible. The thing was that my confidence was so strong that during the whole event I always believed I was going to win.

Favourite breaks - Easkey Left (Ireland), Summerleaze Beach (Cornwall), Thurso East (Scotland) and Steamer Lane (California).

Other Sponsors - Lendal Paddles, Reed Chillcheater and Gecko Headgear

Aims'and Ambitions - To improve the way surf kayaking is coached around the world. To bring on the next generation of competitive surf kayakers. To raise the profile of surf kayaking.

Anything else of interest I've missed out. - Author of the best guide to the sport of surf kayaking - Surf Kayaking The Essential Guide.