Meet Our Amazing Team

Benjamin Peters

Founder & Senior Instructor

Extreme paddle-board explorer that has paddle-boarded the Blue Nile and in the Amazon and started WhatSUP with help from Sanne and from Michelle, a local youth worker, as a give back to the local community. They started WhatSUP to use the sport of SUP for icebreaker days for foster families, work with homeless family charities and other charities.

Benjamin is the founder and senior instructor of WhatSUP ltd

Jenna Owen

SUP & Yoga Instructor

If I had to describe myself I would say Thalassophile - a lover of the ocean. I love to be on, in or around water. Water produces negative ions which are super good for our mental health. I started paddle boarding in 2015 and have loved it ever since! I joined the whatsup team in 2019 running river trips. I am also a yoga teacher and have my own studio in Weston so you might catch me doing the odd headstand on the boards too!

My kids love paddle boarding & have paddled since they were super young! It's a wicked thing for the whole family!

Robert Evans

Senior Instructor

Robert is an amazing instructor and always steps in to take charge when Ben is not around, a world class instructor that people adore, always very chilled out.

Phil Parry

Instructor & Equipment Manager

Phil is a true gent, one of those type of guys you just want to be around. Phil sorts out all the kit for whatsup as well as being one of the instructor team, so when you want anything SUP he is always around to help.

Jade Vincent

SUP Yoga Warrior

Our wild warrior woman of SUP yoga! Jade is all things nice and unique and is bringing a mindful and soul nourishing practice. If we could have more Jades we would! She's fun to be around - always encourages peace relaxation and tranquillity throughout her class. You will definitely feel connected with nature in her class!

Holly

EMBRACE Team Instructor

I'm Holly, I have been with Whatsup for a couple of years now. However, I have recently joined the EMBRACE team which puts to use my experience supporting and empowering individuals with SEN. It is a privilege to provide this opportunity and teach paddleboarding to more of community.

Bear (Katy Smith)

Pro Paddleboarder

The amazing Katy Smith a Pro paddle boarder. She lives for the sport and has really stood out from the crowd in the endurance paddling world. With a number of long distance paddles to her name and years of teaching SUP under her belt we are blessed to have her.

Liz Parry

Instructor & Endurance Athlete

Wife of Phil Parry, keeping the SUP passion in the family. Liz is a keen ultra marathon runner, mountain biker and a real water baby and loves the endurance, strength and stability training SUP can provide. Liz is the big kid of the instructors and loves having fun out on the water with all the families.

Sanne Wilmink

Co-Founder & Instructor

From the Netherlands and loving watersports as well as hikes, Sanne landed on her flippers in North Somerset, being close to both the hills and the beaches. Sanne has been part of WhatSUP since the very beginning, but has remained behind the scenes and just enjoyed paddle boarding in her own time, until she found more time in 2020 to complete her instructor training and join the team.

Mike Ritchie

Instructor & Musician

There's nothing more relaxing for me than spending a beautiful sunny day on the river on the paddle board. It's the perfect way to spend your day! I've been paddle boarding for quite a few years now and love seeing new people take to it on our river sessions. I also enjoy watching people fall in on the odd occasion..

It's quite different to my day job as a musician and I love that. Brings a much needed contrast to my life!

Jack Greatwood

Instructor & Surfer

Will write something soon!

Well, having said that, he is kind of a surfer-type, so we think we might have to wait for a while....

Chloe Hawkins Ritchie

Instructor & Performer

I love that you get out of paddle boarding what you want from it. Want to have fun with the family? GREAT! Let's play games, have competitions and be silly. Or want a beautiful relaxing paddle? Then let's be calm and chill out. It's sort of like my personality. Crazy and calm!

My favourite thing about taking groups out is meeting new people and watching new memories being made.