Sean O'Brien (windsurfer)

Sean O'Brien (born 6 January 1984 in Brisbane) is an Australian professional windsurfer competing on the PWA World Tour[1] and the International Formula Windsurfing Class Tour.[2] He was ranked 7th in the World in Formula Windsurfing in 2012[3] and has won 11 Australian Windsurfing Titles across three racing disciplines, the most of any Australian windsurfer.[4][5]

Sean O'Brien
Personal information
NationalityAustralian
Born (1984-01-06) 6 January 1984
Brisbane, Australia
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight85 kg (187 lb)
Sport
CountryAustralia Australia
SportSailing
Event(s)Windsurfing
ClubRoyal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Early life

O'Brien grew up in Brisbane, Australia, finishing high school at Marist College Ashgrove as a notable alumni.[6] He earned a Bachelor of Psychological Science/Biomedical Science degree at the University of Queensland in 2004.

Career

In 2018, O'Brien won his 8th Oceanic & Australian Title in Formula Windsurfing at the Downunder Pro at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron in Brisbane.[7]

Coaching

O'Brien worked for three years as the windsurfing coach for the QLD State High Performance Sailing unit at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron club in Brisbane. During this term he successfully qualified Australian youth sailors Luke Baillie and Joanna Sterling to represent Australia at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in 2009[8] and Joanna again in 2010.[9]

Later he coached five-time Olympian and two-time PBA World Champion Jessica Crisp to her first ISAF World Cup gold medal in 2009 at the SailMelbourne regatta and a clean sweep of the Australian Sail-Downunder Series by also taking gold in the SailSydney regatta at Woollahra Sailing Club in the RS:X Olympic class.[10]

Olympic campaign

O'Brien campaigned for the 2008 Beijing Olympics on the RS:X Olympic board for two years during 2006-2007 before a back injury ended his campaign in late 2007, despite winning the 2007 Australian Olympic Windsurfing Championships and being in the box seat for a successful Beijing Olympics berth.[11]

Personal life

O'Brien works in digital media design as owner of the international agency, Brisbane Digital Agency.[12] He divides his time between summer in Australia and winter in Europe to compete on the Pro Windsurfing Tours and contribute to the tours as a committee member of the International Formula Windsurfing Class.[13]

He is based in Poland with his son, John O'Brien and partner Agata, the grand-daughter of prominent Polish military general Mieczysław Dachowski.

In 2012 O'Brien launched the first ever windsurfing fitness training program GetWindsurfFit[14] in conjunction with his trainer Nic Pillonel from Switzerland.[15] The book was widely received and is being translated into another three languages for future release.

Professional status
  • Member of IFWC International Committee
  • Vice-President Australian Windsurfing Association 2010-2011
  • Australian Sailing Team Windsurfing Coach 2009
  • QLD State High Performance Sailing Coach 2008-2010
  • Part of the international racing and development teams for Severne, Starboard.[16]

Sporting achievements
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEvent
2002 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Melbourne, VIC Formula Windsurfing (Youth)
2004 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Sydney, NSW Formula Windsurfing (Youth)
2006 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Melbourne, VIC Formula Windsurfing
2007 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Fremantle, WA Formula Windsurfing
2007 Australian RS:X Championships Australia Sydney, NSW RS:X
2009 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Sydney, NSW Formula Windsurfing
2009 Norwegian Windsurfing Championships Norway Larvik, Norway Formula Windsurfing
2010 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Hawks Nest, NSW Formula Windsurfing
2011 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Hawks Nest, NSW Formula Windsurfing
2012 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Hawks Nest, NSW Formula Windsurfing
2012 Asian Windsurfing Championships Singapore Singapore Formula Windsurfing
2012 PWA Slalom World Cup South Korea Ulsan, Korea 24th Slalom
2013 Australian Slalom Championships Australia Green Island, QLD Slalom
2014 Australian Slalom Championships Australia Green Island, QLD Slalom
2014 PWA Slalom World Cup Turkmenistan Awaza, Turkmenistan 13th Slalom
2014 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Sydney, NSW Formula Windsurfing
2018 Australian Formula Windsurfing Championships Australia Brisbane, QLD Formula Windsurfing
2018 Formula Windsurfing European Championships Series Italy Gallipoli Formula Windsurfing
  • 3rd Place - 2018 European Formula Windsurfing Championships[17]
  • Ranked number 7 in the World in Formula Windsurfing 2012[18]
  • 8x Australian & Oceanic Formula Windsurfing Champion[19]
  • 2x Australian Slalom Champion[20]
  • 2012 Asian Windsurfing Champion[21]
  • 2009 Norwegian Windsurfing Champion[22]
  • 2007 Australian Olympic Windsurfing Champion

References
  1. PWA World Tour Profile
  2. "IFWC Profile". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  3. IFWC World Rankings 2012
  4. "Previous Winners – Downunder Pro | FW Australia".
  5. "The Champions – Green Island Nationals". downunderpro.com. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020.
  6. Marist College Ashgrove Notable Alumni
  7. Australian Championships Results
  8. VOLVO Youth Team Announcement 2009
  9. VOLVO Youth Team Announcement 2010
  10. SailSydney Event News
  11. Sean O'Brien results
  12. Brisbane Digital Agency
  13. IFWC Committee
  14. Surfer Today Announcement
  15. Nic Pillonel
  16. Severne Sails
  17. 2017 European Championship Results
  18. IFWC World Rankings 2012
  19. Australian Champions List
  20. Australian Slalom Champions
  21. 2012 Asian Championships, Surfer Today
  22. FormulaWindsurfing.org
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