BWSW Progressive Edge: the wakeboard rider awards, from Bronze to Platinum

• What it is: BWSW's step-by-step rider awards for the wake disciplines: boat wakeboard, cable wakeboard and wakesurf.
• What you need first: Nothing. It starts from your first session. There's no licence just to ride.
• What you'll learn: Edging, turns and corners, then ollies, wake jumps, kickers, rails and air tricks.
• Cost: A coached cable session with kit is usually £70 to £165.
• What's next: Riding track: competitions. Coaching track: Silver opens the Cable Instructor course, and you can start in a park as a cable operator.

How it works

Affiliated clubs and accredited sites can use the scheme at no cost to them. It's built for young people new to the sport, but adults can do it too. Young riders who complete Silver, Gold or Platinum can get prizes.

• Participation: the basics of cable kneeboard, the starting discipline for new riders on a full cable.
• Bronze: the basics of boat or cable wakeboard (wakesurf has its own Bronze).
• Silver and Gold: discipline-specific skills and tricks, building to competition level.
• Platinum: advanced riding, aimed at European or international competition.

What some of the stages ask (cable wakeboard)

• Bronze 1: heelside and toeside edging, and 2 corners in control.
• Bronze 2: 6 corners in control without sinking, and a surface frontside 180.
• Silver 1: standing dock start, switch corners and a switch ollie.
• Silver 2: straight airs, heelside and toeside, on a kicker, ramp or rail.
• Gold 1: a kicker heelside straight air, a rail frontside 180, and an ollie backside 180 in the flats.

Behind a boat

Bronze 1 is 2 boat turns in control, plus heelside and toeside edging. By Gold 2 it's a heelside two-wake jump.

Wakesurf

Bronze is holding a correct surfing position. Silver includes surfing in the sweet spot and a floater without the rope.

Source: Progressive Edge, Award Skills and Take Part, BWSW; Boat Safety Recommendations and Cable Tow Safety Recommendations, BWSW; Beach safety and Float to Live, RNLI; checked October 2026.

Governing body: British Water Ski and Wakeboard (BWSW). It sets the UK safety standards and training awards for wakeboarding, so it's the official place to find out more.

Typical prices, checked October 2026. The club or coach sets and bills the price.

The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport. It is a starting point, so check with the club before you travel. To have a coach found for you, use the enquiry form.