This has been brought up a lot in this forum.l always thought Robby Naish would be the number one in all aspects of windsurfin. R.N.can do it all .waves racing freestyle.

I've always considered Robby to be "Mr Windsurf" as well.

I think a lot of the worlds best have had some sort of a history across all/most of the disciplines, just not as well known to have.

Gotta be Robby

If you base it on competition results surely it's Bjorn Dunkerbeck. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B6rn_Dunkerbeck

Robbie is probably richer.

RN

I would say as an all-rounder, - Robby,
But don't recall him doing much slalom racing.
He might have in his earlier days?
Good surfer, and pretty handy with a kite too.

I would have to go with Bjorn Dunkerbeck, he was dominant in Slalom and Course racing and I think he may have one a few wave sailing titles as well ??

Either Robby or Bjorn, it's hard to choose between.
Robby won world titles in One Design, Slalom, Race Boards and Waves.
Bjorn won world titles in Slalom, Race Boards, Waves and Speed

It easy to look at the stats but if you go a bit deeper there are some more interesting contenders.


Looking at Pure Skill Antoine Albeau is a great all round skilled waterman. His wave sailing and jumping (and even freestyle - like spocks ) is pretty damn good. At a shoot in Maui he was one of the few guy that had a really good percentage on his jumps - I had him land a big back loop right next to me (I was shooting from the water) and there was no doubt he was going to make the landing and keep me safe. All with a big grin on his face.

For my money Pete Volwater is right up there. He could win races and I saw him bang out to wave 360s in a row on the same wave at Hookipa back around 2006.

And he had double forwards on lock way back in 2000. In 06 Pete was the best all rounder on the planet for sure.

Tati Frans -a sublimely skilled all rounder who can freestyle (his sky high Shakas were the bomb back in the day) and throw double forwards (saw him do it at Hookipa on a proto starboard) and be a serious contender in races too.

I really like the guys that are a bit more all round.

Locally in OZ we had Simon peters back in the day who still is a ripping wave sailor in huge wave and was crazy fast on race gear - nearly untouchably so back in the day.
Byron marsh was amazing - same with Scott mckercher too who racked up PPWA/ PBA winds in racing along with World titles in wave sailing.

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John340 said..
Either Robby or Bjorn, it's hard to choose between.
Robby won world titles in One Design, Slalom, Race Boards and Waves.
Bjorn won world titles in Slalom, Race Boards, Waves and Speed

Bjorn trumps Robby with a freestyle world title and teaching his kids to windsurf.

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John340 said..
Either Robby or Bjorn, it's hard to choose between.

PAST:
Having seen them both sail in multi-discipline comps in the 80s I agree it's hard to choose.

Both were fierce competitors that could really find something extra to win. There are some great vids of old PWA events on utube showing times when they both managed to pull something out of the bag to win, whether that be a slalom final, or wave heat.

Robby had real flare when waveriding and was able to throw in old school freestyle moves in wave sailing heats if the winds were marginal to gain a few more points than his competitor, and Bjorn was just a machine when it came to course racing and slalom, and just seemed to have very well refined board control and technique, but he was pretty good in the waves too.

As for past Aussies, probably Phil McGain and Bruce Wylie.

PRESENT:
Windsurfing has got so specialised these days, I don't know of anyone that competes across all the main disciplines: waves, slalom, raceboard (or formula), freestyle, etc.

It would be fun to revise the multi-discipline comps with modern raceboard / slalom / waves here in Oz or have a series where points from separate comps for each discipline (raceboard / slalom / wave) were combined to have an overall champ.

Ledge to Lancelin does an Overall wave / race award based on points
- Ben Newson, Ben Profitt and Avan Griffith tied for it last january

When I'm in a really sticky situation on the board I always say to myself "now what would Robby do? "

Robbie would go!

Its gotta be Robby Naish. He started at the beginning and won his first world title at 13 then progressed to dominate in waves, slalom and course racing for a very long time. As for Aussies don't forget Hedgie, he did very well in the PBA/PWA for many years.

eyeMhardcore


(past, present and future)

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ka43 said..
Its gotta be Robby Naish. He started at the beginning and won his first world title at 13 then progressed to dominate in waves, slalom and course racing for a very long time. As for Aussies don't forget Hedgie, he did very well in the PBA/PWA for many years.

I think because Robby has had more exposure in videos and the media etc. is why we think of him first,
Bjorn was never in many vid's from what i can recall, (thinking 90's era when i'd watch all i could get hold of, Pre-Youtube.)

Interesting hearing all the other names, brings back memories of days gone bye.
Didn't Hedgie have a brand back in the day? Can't think of the name.
Wish i had all my old Sail & wind mags from way back, would be an interesting read.

a2 !

I'm an old fart and I remember , that's a bonus on its own.
I remember wood booms and what RN was doing with chopped long boards with foot straps.
Doing crazy stuff on crap in biggish waves.
Youngns don't appreciate how crap a tie on boom was , let alone know any dynamics of what a fin was ( kinda looked like a fish fin thing )
So RN for me , love to have a chat with him.

Robby ,closely followed by Gavin.
BUT then there is Dunkerbeck .HE was number one for many years
slalom and up there in the top 5 for wave ,?

I don't know ...

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Carantoc said..
eyeMhardcore


(past, present and future)

Yep, I agree

Robby for sure as the gear he was using was far less superior to Dunkerbeck during his best years.

Robby has also just been in it longer.

Robert Tarieteo was pretty mental.

Maybe it could be Barn, as his forwards are apparently better than Robbie's

there are many
no-one is BEST and no-one is ALL round, but many have touched many of the disciplines
have not seen Kevin Pritchard nor Thomas Traversa listed yet
two other famous HOT dawgs

I am often the best when there i nobody else on the water. It goes without saying really.

But Robbie Naish for me. Mainly because the inspirational videos i own, but i do have a lot of heros out there. It's a hard question to answer

Seanhogan

By far !!!!!!!!!!!

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seanhogan said..
By far !!!!!!!!!!!

You might be the future one.this topic is past or present

I think who ever lands the first triple forward will be the best allrounder times 3

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HotBodMon said..
I think who ever lands the first triple forward will be the best allrounder times 3

Ricardo Campello will probably be the first.worlds best freestyler by far

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gavnwend said..

HotBodMon said..
I think who ever lands the first triple forward will be the best allrounder times 3

Ricardo Campello will probably be the first.worlds best freestyler by far

Attempting it would be (not from experience)
Speed/Slalom
Height/Foiling
Jump/Hookipa Aloha etc??
The Move/Freestyle
The Balls (or vagina)/Rockstar
The Landing comes in 2 versions
Success- King or Queen to be remembered forever/ Media Coverage
Failure- Ambulance/ Media Coverage
Sponsorship/ Name your price

That's my reasoning, but agree Mr Campello is in the running