Cristiana Chessa

ASI SUP Trainer Cristiana Chessa
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SUP

Qualified to Train

Instructor Courses:
ASI Level 1 SUP Instructor (Enclosed Flat Water)
ASI Level 2 SUP Instructor (Exposed Waters)

Skills Courses:
ASI SUP Water Safety Rescue Award (Flat Water)
SUP Wise Intensiv (Enclosed Flat Water)

About Cristiana

Cristiana is a highly experienced waterwoman with 12 years of teaching experience combining a wide variety of water, land and adventure ropes activities. 

Thanks to her parents she was introduced to keelboat sailing at the early age of 4, sailing every year a different part of the Mediterranean Sea. She started sailing Optimist as a kid on the volcanic lake of Bracciano, northwest of Rome, Italy, to escape the city life during weekends and summer holidays with her family. She always been interested in sport, particularly water sports. She took windsurfing and Hobie Cat 16 and competed at National and International level regattas until she left Italy to move to Australia in 2000, drawn by the beauty of the land, ocean and consistent sea breeze of Perth. 

When she saw kiteboarding she knew she had to give it a go. In 2009 she become an IKO kiteboarding instructor to inspire and guide other people, especially women to get into this extreme water sport. In 2010 Cristiana was invited to be part of the inaugural Red Bull Lighthouse 2 Leighton kite race, which is one of the premiere ocean crossing events from Rottnest Island to the mainland.

In 2010, during the yearly winter kiteboarding road trip to the Ningaloo Reef region, on a windless day, Cristiana was introduced by a good friend to stand up paddling. She enjoyed the all over workout and got hooked straight away. Soon after she started more serious training to compete at various type of SUP events from sprints to technical racing and marathons, flat water to ocean downwinding and qualified to represent WA at the Australian National Titles every year since 2014 and she is proud of her many podium placing results. 

She has been enjoying The King of the Cut since 2013 and The Doctor Race, the biggest ocean crossing downwind paddling event in the Southern Hemisphere, 27km from Rottnest Island to Sorrento Beach, since 2015. 

She regularly competes at many SUP events and prepares new paddlers to become race ready.

She became an ASI SUP Instructor in 2012 and logged thousands of teaching hours sharing her knowledge and experience with people from all ages and walks of life. 

Her favourite place to be is a soul charging, bumpy, windy ocean. 

Stand Up Paddle Experience

  • Stand up paddling since 2010

  • Committee member in the state SUP Association

  • SUP Race competitor at state and national level since 2012 - flat water, marathon, technical racing and distance downwinding.

  • Australian SUP Titles 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 – Marathon Champion O40 in 2015 and 2018

  • AORS Australian Ocean Racing Series - SUP Female winner in 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2018/2019

  • The Doctor 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and going - SUP Female winner in 2017 and 2018

  • King of the Cut 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and going

Coaching and Training Experience

  • Instructing in a wide variety of water, land and adventure ropes activities since 2008

  • Stand Up Paddle Instructor since 2012

  • SUP School owner and head coach since 2016

  • Kiteboarding Instructor since 2009

  • Trainer for ASI SUP instructors

  • Trainer for SLSA Surf Rescue

  • Trainer for RLSS START (School Teacher Aquatic Rescue Training and Resuscitation) 

Qualifications 

  • ASI SUP Trainer

  • ASI Level 1 Stand Up Paddle Instructor (Enclosed Flat Water)

  • ASI Level 2 Stand Up Paddle Instructor (Exposed Waters)

  • ASI Level 3 Stand Up Paddle Instructor (Downwinding)

  • ASI SUP Water Safety Rescue Award

  • ASI SUP Wise Intensiv

  • SLSA Bronze Medallion since 2008 

  • Emergency First Response First Aid

  • Provide First Aid Certificate aka Senior First Aid

  • Advance Resuscitation Techniques Certificate

  • Spinal and Pain Management Certificate

  • PADI Diver

  • RYA Safety and Sea Survival

  • RYA Competent Crew Certificate

  • WA Recreational Skipper Ticket

  • AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety Level 2

  • IKO Kiteboarding Instructor Level 2 

  • Single Pitch Abseil Natural and Artificial Guide

  • Climbing Artificial Guide

  • High Ropes Conductor

  • Vertical Rescue

  • Blackroll Functional Fascia Trainer

  • WA Working with Children Check

  • Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation 

  • Certificate IV Training and Assessment 

Location

Perth, Western Australia