Matty Hurrell

Learning with Matty Hurrell had been something I’d wanted to do for a long time. He completely lived up to my expectations, he’s an incredible instructor. Very calm, clear and knows how to get the best out of you. We had the luxury of walkie talkie radio headsets which was a big help when I was riding up wind and getting the transitions locked in. Getting real time feedback while riding was helpful things click so much faster. I felt like I really progressed so much and my confidence is high with everything I have learned up to this point. I have big smiles every up wind out to sea and coming back to the beach, no better feeling really. Mattys communication and tips was amazing, I can’t speak highly enough of the time I had spent at sorrento beach club. All the staff are so friendly, the vibe is great. Perfect for any riding ability. Or complete beginners, that was me at the start of kiting journey.

I had an absolutely amazing experience. I have been kiting for 26 years, but honestly, have never paid attention to many of the technical aspects of kiting. Matty delivered the course in a concise, clear and simple manner, while maintaining a fun and relaxed environment. I would highly recommend this IKO course, specifically, Matty and Sorrento Kite Center, to anyone I know who are considering enrolling in the instructor course.

I had already had three kitesurfing instructors before I came here. The course was professional at the highest level and gave me confidence, skill, control and understanding of all parts and operations of the kite. Huge thanks to Matti and the other instructors. The best course I have ever had.

Thanks Matty Hurrell I had an amazing experience on my Instructor Course. Matty struck the perfect balance between fun and professional whilst pushing the group to improve and giving clear, supportive guidance throughout. The course was well structured, focused on safety, communication, and real teaching practice, and I left feeling genuinely confident and prepared to start instructing. The hands-on sessions and personalised feedback were especially valuable. I’d highly recommend this course to anyone looking to take their kitesurfing knowledge and coaching skills to the next level.

The lesson was absolutely fantastic. 1st day was all about land based kite control. 2nd day started off with the various body drag techniques to get used to the kite and understand how to body drag safely. Then got onto the waterstart which once I got more confident with Matty allowed me to start riding both directions. He gave me an introduction in edging and even let me try out some transitions. Overall it was a really great couple of days that I cannot wait to repeat.

I had the privilege of training under Matty, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. He is incredibly professional, prioritising safety without ever losing his friendly, patient, and approachable manner. His passion for kitesurfing and teaching shines through in everything he does, and it’s genuinely contagious. What stood out to me was the way Matty offers a variety of teaching approaches, always making things feel accessible, no matter your experience level. I was extremely nervous about teaching my first student and almost backed out entirely. But Matty saw something in me, gently encouraged me, and helped me push past my fears and self-doubt. I left that day not just having taught my first student, but with a huge smile on my face — I laughed a lot, felt supported throughout, and actually had fun doing something I was initially scared of. Matty teaches more than just how to be a good instructor. He teaches how to truly care for people, how to connect in a meaningful way during lessons, and how to create an experience for students that goes beyond just ticking boxes. That kind of guidance stays with you. I’m genuinely grateful for everything I learned during the course, and a big part of that is thanks to Matty’s energy, enthusiasm, and depth of knowledge. You can tell he really loves what he does.

Absolutely fantastic. Had an awesome time learning with Matty at Zenith. Really relaxed and explained everything really well. Felt really confident with the progressions as Matty was always there with encouragement and good feedback.

Excellent trainer, know-how transfer, open minded, patient. Awesome experience that helped me improve massively my teaching and practical skills and theoretical knowledge. I am overall very impressed and grateful.

It was a great pleasure to have Matty Hurell from IKO as our trainer. He managed to go through all the course information smoothly, in a simple, practical, and logical way. Congratulations to him — a true professional!

Great First experiance kite surfing. The equipment and tuition was first class, friendly and patient, Matty took the time to assess our ability and got us moving really quickly. After the lesson it was great that he took the time to answer questions via text and continue to support us in our new sport.