"Paralympic Pipeline" by Jon Richards

Looking back at the year 2016 you may remember that the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, Donald Trump became president of the USA, the UK votes to leave the European Union, and the deaths of Muhammad Ali and Prince...I remember those things, but also a few key others: The 2nd annual World Adaptive Surfing Championship took place in La Jolla, the first publication of the Adaptive Surfing Magazine, and a historic decision that took place in August of 2016 when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced to the world that surfing will be included in the Olympic program for the 2020 Tokyo games. This took the surfing industry by storm. Every elite, competitive surfer started to calculate what their age would be for those games and to think about the possibility of “I finally have a chance to represent my country and be an Olympic medalist.” What a year to remember.

Fast forward one year later... in July of 2017 the International Surfing Association (ISA) announces that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) officially recognizes the ISA as the International Federation (IF) for para (adaptive) surfing. What does this mean? In short, it means ISA is the agency chosen by the IPC to set the standards for para surfing, to include the development of rules, classification, drug testing, and everything else for competitive para surfing. In the end it is ISA who will be responsible for doing everything necessary to present the sport for the Paralympic games program. This is a hefty duty that the organization is taking very seriously. In the past 3 years we have seen tremendous growth in the sport because of the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Games, first run in 2015. From the start, ISA created an advisory board to help develop the sport to include high level competition, adaptive clinics, symposiums and beautiful marketing. Due to this each year more and more countries cultivate the sport in their homelands and increase the number of events (recreational and competitions) to help drive adaptive surfing.

Colin Cook. photo: Jason Rose

Recently I had the opportunity to attend the first European Adaptive Surfing Seminar. It was held in the Canary Islands and conducted by Play and Train, with EU countries representing Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. I was honored, along with my good friend Alex, to be the Keynote speaker for the seminar. Many topics were discussed, such as information on the International Surfing Association (ISA), the adaptive surfing classification system- past, present and future, presenting organizations and research on adaptive surfing, equipment, and athlete panels. The entire weekend was a huge boost for the adaptive surfing community and brought the European countries closer together to unite as a forefront on the sport.

A key presentation was made by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Media & Communications Director, Craig Spence. (It is important to note that Craig was on the island for a total of 20 hours and came specifically to give this presentation. This shows the impact of our sport and how keen the IPC is in giving para surfing a fighting chance to be included in the Paralympic program.) There were several points that he made that need to be addressed and the key topics include: increasing the number of overall participants (and countries participating), gender equality, drug testing compliance, and classification.

Accessurf and Team Hawaii. photo: Jason Rose

Believe it or not, the Paralympics is a grassroots movement that begins with the recreational participant. It starts with having an opportunity to get on a surfboard for the first time. For most of us, we can probably remember the first time we got on a surfboard and paddled out. We may have not caught many impressive waves that day, but in the days to follow, many were had. Often, people are given the opportunity to try surfing for the first time because of a family member, friend or an organization. There are many organizations nowadays that promote adaptive surfing and provide people with their first chance to ever get on a board or do so after a life changing incident (motor vehicle accident, sickness, operation, etc.) This is the stepping stone where we all begin. Some remain at this level and surf only once, twice or several times in their lifetime. Others progress to regularly practice the sport as a lifelong recreational passion.

Then there are the elite, those that not only practice the sport as a lifelong recreational passion, but become so good that they compete against the best, and even become the best. They are the steps to becoming a World Champion, and, hopefully in the near future, becoming a Paralympian. People have to begin somewhere, and that is why we need to look at adaptive surfing as a whole. By driving new surfers to the sport it will increase the overall participation and push elite competition. This is necessary if our sport is to be recognized. Specifically, the IPC requires that 32 countries have a competitive presence within the sport. This does not mean that 32 countries will have a representative at the Paralympic Games within the sport, but that 32 nations are fully involved in competitive adaptive surfing, demonstrating global participation.

Davi Taxiera representing Brazil. photo: Sean Evans

Further on that topic, we discuss gender equality. It’s not hard to look at our sport in its current state to see that it comprises mostly of males. This needs to change. We have a responsibility to make the sport equal across genders. Not all sports strive to do this. But we can, with a concerted effort, easily change the way the world looks at gender equality, starting with sport. This is our opportunity to educate people across the globe and spread the teaching and therapeutic benefits of surfing. This is a requirement for our sport and will be a requirement of the IPC as it believes in gender parity.

The next subject is very important for qualifying for the Paralympic Program... Drug Testing. This is needed for elite level competition and is required in all Paralympic sports. Over the years we have seen how drugs or doping can enhance the ability to practice a sport. This is an unfair advantage and can cause serious health issues to the person who is using this method to cheat. Let’s be clear before we move on, it is cheating. First off, it’s stated very clearly in the rules. Second, you are using a substance to gain a competitive edge against your opponents. This is not right in the spirit of competition. Certain agencies are working hard to make sure that this does not happen. However, as National Federations and athletes, it is your responsibility to not use prohibited substances and train as hard as you possibly can. As drug testing comes more of a factor in the competition of para surfing, Therapeutic Use Exemption forms (TUEs) will become necessary for athletes to complete. A TUE states that an athlete has permission to use a certain substance that is otherwise prohibited. This is especially important for the adaptive surfer who is using prescribed medications for a specific medical need. I encourage you to read more about the subject, but also remember that there is a prohibited list; TUEs will not be allowed for all medications/substances.

"Sponge" Williams surfing for Wales.

Finally we come to a matter that is always an ongoing debate, classification. In the world of adaptive sports, classification is a necessary evil. It is imperative to have such systems to “equalize” the playing field; this has been discussed many times before and will many times later. What I would like to approach is how everyone can take an active role in classification. Simply, follow the protocol. Classification is very dynamic and changes every so often. This is because we are always trying to make it better. However, it is important to know that when using a current system, it most likely is the best system at that point in time. That doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t change in the future; who knows, maybe someone is working to further develop the system or creating a new one altogether. The best way to know if something is working is with everyone’s full cooperation. Once this is happening, then the research can be done on that model with meaningful results. At that time you make adjustments as needed. In order to have full cooperation, each competition across the globe should use the same classification system. Think about it...hypothetically, if a competition in Asia is using their own system different from one in South America and Europe, how will each of them be able to compete equally in a World Games or Paralympic event? The athletes would have competed against athletes in different class systems which would have them at different levels, thus, changing the overall outcomes. This also degrades the validity of competitions as they do not have the same meaning as each other, making it harder to find a true champion. If, as a sport, we want to be recognized in the Paralympic program, we need to compete using the same set of international rules.

The time to come will be an important period for para surfing. In order to be accepted in the 2024 Paralympic program, interested sports will need to apply to the IPC in mid-2018. In the year 2019, the IPC will select its sports for the 2024 Paris games. Para surfing has a pipeline to become a Paralympic sport but will need to comply with all standards set by the IPC. This is a long and difficult pathway, but is attainable if we all play an active role.

"Saltwater Sanity" by Sean Brody

“Surfers are all a bunch of lunatics, everyone of us. Myself included.”I struggled to find the right words to explain to a friend, who was recently introduced to the surfing community, why we can justify being so irrational about placing surfing at the center of our universe. There is clearly a disproportionate amount of time that we actual spend riding waves in comparison to how much we allow those few fleeting moments to influence our lives.

After I surfed my first wave at around ten years old, I quickly began the process of dwindling down my baseball commitment to focus exclusively on riding waves. I picked up water polo in high school, but after a season of missed swells and hearing , “shoulda been here yesterday,” too many times, surfing clamored it’s way back to the top of my list of priority pastimes.”

Priority pastime blossomed into full-blown obsession. Access to quality surf breaks dictated my college selection process and time to surf was the number one variable in developing my course schedules each semester. My surf addiction pulled rank in any dating situation and played a major role in me finding my wife. Surfing has been the strongest anchor in my life, allowing the rest of the pieces to fall into place.

However, if you look at other sports, like baseball or water polo, when you go to play a game you are actually participating for the duration. A 90-minute game is 90 minutes activity. If you go for a run for an hour, you are running for an hour. But when I go surf for an hour, it could take me four hours, with all the wave checking and talking story, and I may get less than a minute of actual wave riding time. Yet, I come home salty and satisfied in such a way that could only be achieved through the unique self-indulgence of wave riding.

Those intangible moments have a way of suppressing the stress of daily life and enhancing our existence in ways hard to quantify. There is no real way to describe the exhilaration of surfing without sounding hokey, but something about those brief instances of rushing across the surface of a wave makes us do crazy and irrational things. We rearrange our lives to do whatever it takes to access opportunities for wave riding, usually at the expense of other priorities.

There is clearly no length that surfers will not go to ride waves and, often times, the road to waves can be littered with challenges. The brave men and women in the adaptive surfing community know this more than anyone, and they are the craziest of us all. The tremendous lengths that adaptive surfers go to get in the ocean and chase surf is no joke. Intricate planning, inherent safety risks, unparalleled trust, and lots of additional time are just some of the elements involved. However, despite the mountain of roadblocks and additional hurdles, their lives are as centered around surfing as much as the next wave riding lunatic.

All the adaptive surfers we see today have dedicated themselves to a life of wave riding and it has been proven time and again that nothing will prevent a surfer from getting in the water. You all inspire me and have my deepest respect.

If you are going to be addicted to something, let it be surfing.

See you crazies in the water,

- Sean Brody
Editor-in-Chief

Adaptive Surfing Magazine: Vol. 3 Release

Those who participated or attended the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships got a sneak peak at Adaptive Surfing Magazine: Vol. 3, as we released a limited edition collectors print run at the event. We are now pleased to share the content with everyone in our digital edition and we do have print copies available for order as well. Enjoy the amazing feats of awesomeness featured in Vol. 3.

3rd Annual ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships Kicks Off

It is hard to believe that we are already in the third year of the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship event, but you know what they say... time flies when you are having fun! And lots of fun has been had since the inaugural event in 2015, as many grassroots adaptive surfing programs and competitive adaptive surfing events have spawned up across the globe and the pathway to the Paralympic Games has been forged.

Day one of the event kicked off with an adaptive surfing clinic in the morning, with the support of Challenged Athletes Foundation, and the Opening Ceremony of the event took place in the afternoon, which included the Parade of Nations and Sands of the World Ceremony. Have a look at the highlights below and we hope to see you at the event in the coming days!

Behind the Scenes at the US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships

The US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships put an exclamation mark on the rapidly growing adaptive surfing movement. This inaugural event brought surfers from around the world to compete at the Oceanside Pier in San Diego, California and mother nature provided as overhead sets were being served up all weekend long, with a few moments of carnage outweighed by overwhelming stoke. The following are a few of the epic waves and smiling faces from the weekend...

photos by: Brody

U.S. Open Adaptive Surf Championship: October 21-22, 2017

Stoke for Life Foundation is structuring an elite world class adaptive surf competition that will be done annually and will attract the top disabled adaptive surfers from around the world. This open competition will be sanctioned under Surfing America and will be a qualifying event for the Surfing America U.S. National Adaptive Surfing Championships. This means it will draw the best adaptive surfers from all over the world. Stoke for Life would like this competition to focus more on the ability of the surfer through elite competition rather than focus on the disability. First and foremost this is an ADAPTIVE surf competition, and how each disabled athlete has adapted to his/her surfing will not be altered in this competition. We envision this contest to be like any other professional contest with cash and or prizes for the athletes that finish on the podium. Stoke for Life Foundation cannot do this alone it will take the help of sponsors, vendors, and volunteers alike to put on a world class event.

More information is available at www.stokeforlife.org

Mike Coots Gallery: For the Love of the Sea

From Adaptive Surfing Magazine: Vol. 2

Shark attack survivor turned shark advocate, Mike Coots, has an affinity for the sea and all that surrounds it. His iconic selfies from deep within the tube are widely admired, but many people are not aware that Coots loves to point the camera the other direction as well, and he is quite the accomplished photographer. Some of his clients include Four Seasons, Under Armour, Canon and the NFL and his work has been featured in prestigious outlets such as, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Forbes. In addition, the beautiful cover shot of Bethany Hamilton on Volume Two of Adaptive Surfing Magazine was captured by Coots, as well as the following selection of nautical imagery. Enjoy.

East Coast Adaptive Surfing : The New Normal by Luke Sharp

From Adaptive Surfing Magazine: Vol. 2
 

The sun’s first light was busy chasing away the last remnants of the previous night as I walked down to the Cherry Grove Pier carrying my board at 5:50 a.m. The only person on the beach was Ernie Johnson sitting just below the high tide line

in a wheelchair with his adaptive surfboard on the sand next to him. I didn’t need to ask him how he got there. From previous experience, I knew he yelled out the window at some random tourist who came to watch the sunrise, and he or she dragged him and his wheelchair across the sand. I didn’t ask him why he was there. Just like me, he was there for dawn patrol, because the forecast was for three to four feet and glassy.

Seeing Ernie or any other surfers who surf adaptively at our break at the Cherry Grove Pier has become completely normal. The surfers at this break show up to surf, but take breaks to help surfers who need assistance get in the water and on their adaptive surfboards. Sometimes, we have three or four adaptive surfers show up at a time. No one is taking pictures, because surfing adaptively has become just one of the many ways folks ride waves... Shortboard? SUP? Longboard? Adaptive?

California jumped on the adaptive surfing bus years before we started helping surfers who happened to have a disability ride waves. To the best of my knowledge, the first adaptive surfing event on the East Coast was held in Wilmington, North Carolina. In 2007, Kevin Murphy, the Director of Ocean Cure, invited Jesse Billauer to have a Life Rolls an event.

Ernie and his posse. photo: Ralph Jones

My surfing brothers and sisters at the Cherry Grove Pier started the Adaptive Surf Project after we volunteered at the first “Wheel to Surf “event in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. One of our surfing buddies, Brock Johnson, surfed adaptively and started Wheel to Surf with Kevin Murphy. We also convinced the local Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) and Atlantic Surfing Federation (ASF) chapters to add adaptive surfing divisions. This led to us flying surfers out to California to compete, and we discovered that adaptive surfing was well established on America’s West Coast.

Adaptive surfing is spreading along the right side of America too. We now have organizations in Florida, and all over North and South Carolina that facilitate adaptive surfing. Wheel to Surf and Life Rolls On events are larger than before with more than 50 participants and hundreds of volunteers. News crews and photographers show up, and volunteers and participants sometimes become overcome with emotion when stoke levels reach their apex. This is beautiful, but so is the simplicity of a surfer in a wheelchair simply showing up to a break knowing that he will be able to ride waves.

My personal vision for adaptive surfing is for it to become completely normal at every surf break. Hopefully, one day in the future, seeing an individual surfing on an adaptive surfboard will be commonplace. The ultimate evolution of adaptive surfing would be for it to become unexceptionally ordinary.

As Ernie is being carried out of the water, he asked me, “Did you see my left?”

“Which one?” I asked.

The Jesse Billauer Interview - from Adaptive Surfing Magazine: Vol. 2

Adaptive Surfing Magazine caught up with iconic Jesse Billaur a few months back for a bit of insight on what surfing means to him. For those who missed it, here is that interview...

photos: Courtesy of Jesse Billauer

Tell us a little bit about how you first got into surfing, your injury, and how you go into adaptive surfing.

I started when I was nine, and then when I was 12 I met Paul Gomez from Billabong and he sponsored me. Then Bob Hurley took me in, and I was with them from 12 until I was 17. When they changed from Billabong to Hurley, he just kept supporting me and kept me on the team. That was huge for me, just being able to travel around the world and surf and do that. That was my whole life.

I figured when I got paralyzed, I wanted to get back in the water. I had to figure out how to do it. There wasn’t really anybody doing it, so luckily Rob Machado, Al Merrick and I came up with a board. I laid down on it, we put those straps by the rail. It was amazing. Then the technology got better, and better. We put fins on the back of the board so my feet don’t slide off, because I broke my leg like five or six years ago surfing six- to-eight foot Sunset Beach. I broke my femur.

What age was your injury?

17. It was a month after my seventeenth birthday.

And it happened surfing?

Yeah. I was at Zuma Beach at Drainpipes early morning before school in like a six-to-eight foot south swell.

How long was it before you were able to get back in the water?

I think like three years or something, because nobody was doing it. Plus, I wanted to get physically fit, figure out the right board, where I was going to do it, find the right people and just had to get strong enough to do it.

Was it a goal to get back in the water and ride waves from the moment you got injured?

Yeah, pretty much; it was the goal for me to want to do that (surf again). I always wanted to do it, and then when I did, we did it at Cardiff Reef right in front Rob Machado’s house for the first time.

Incredible. You inspire a lot of different people, who are some of your inspirations?

Growing up, my idol was Shane Dorian. So, that was my huge inspiration. And now, seeing what he does with his family and his kids, that’s a huge inspiration for me.

Ok, so I know this may be a tough one, but what does surfing mean to you? Essentially, as part of your everyday life and being a surfer before your injury.

It’s just freedom and independence. I don’t get to do it much, I only get to do it when the waves are good. It’s not like skateboarding, where you can just do it all the time. Surfing, you have to wait for the right conditions, the right people and to me that’s just pure freedom when I’m on the wave. Once I’m on the wave, I actually don’t need any help. And with this Wave Jet, I get to ride the wave and then kick out, and go back into the lineup. It’s just huge (advancement from a few years ago), I can’t even believe it. It’s so rad.

That must be a huge sense of independence.

Yeah, just reading the wave. Doing a bottom turn or cutback, looking down the line or kicking out, just every decision I make is totally up to me, from the knowledge when I surfed before. I know how to read the wave and where it’s breaking and what it’s doing and that’s just fun. I love it. Like Malibu, sometimes if it’s too perfect, I almost feel like it’s a little boring, like I kind of want a section to happen where I can go around it. So Malibu, if it’s too boring I might go a little bit deeper and just read it, do a bottom turn around a section and come up and finish just because it’s fun.

I love big waves, but a lot of times big waves in California are mushy and kind of slow. So Malibu when it’s smaller, the inside ones are just reeling and you’re going so fast. For me, I think speed is better than height.

So, how long have you been riding with the wave jet?

Something like three years. Maybe four years.

I imagine that made a big difference for you.

Well that was life changing. I’m just waiting for the next technology to be even better. But, that was life changing with regards to having a couple people help me to now I can do it with just one person because if I’m surfing a good wave that doesn’t close out, I can just kick out and go all the way back to the person that pushed me into the wave.

Soon with the technology of maybe a joystick, it’s going to be even bigger. If you have a joystick, then it’s like a jet ski where it just turns on a dime. Right now, I have to just power on and you have to lean and to make a circle it’s just too big. With a joystick, I will be able to just lay right, look at the wave, turn right around and do it. That’s going to be amazing. That’s what I’m looking forward to.

If somebody falls, and I’m on my way back out, I’ll be able to turn around fast, whereas now I can’t do that. That’ll be even more feeling like normal. And I’m looking forward to the battery life getting longer. With

technology, batteries right now die fast. But, I think soon they’re just going to get better and better and that’ll make the sessions last longer and there’ll be more power for the jet. Because over a bit of time you can feel the jet losing a little bit of energy and then it’s a little harder to get into waves. So you lose power, which means you’ll lose a little bit of safety.

It’s great to see how much it’s progressed in the last couple of years. It’ll be very cool to see where it goes in the next few. So tell me a little bit about Life Rolls On, when did you start the organization?

I think it started in like 1999, but then it became a 5013c in 2001.

How many events have you done since then?

Well for the past ten years we’ve been doing events at ten different locations, but before that it could’ve been six locations, so hundreds.

So it’s safe to say, thousands of participants have come through your program?
Yeah, per year. I would say a thousand per year.

Wow. So you guys are doing big numbers?

Yeah. And then we have about three to four thousand volunteers.

That’s incredible. So the Life Rolls On community has grown quite large?
Yeah, for sure. They started off with 10 or 20 surfers and 50 volunteers, now the events are close to 75 or 100 surfers and 300-400 volunteers.

And how does it feel to see some of these younger kids coming up and they all cite you as their inspiration.
I think it’s cool to see anybody get to go through a program, from kids to adults, and surfing for the first

time. It’s just super cool to see the smile. Going from super nervous, like, “I don’t want to do that,” or, “that’s too scary”, to going, “Oh my god! When’s the next event?” If the registration is opening up at midnight 45 days before the event, they’re signing up at midnight 45 days in front of the event.

That’s dedication..

Yeah. And it’s the volunteers too. The volunteers are frothing for the registration to open. That says a lot, where you don’t have to chase all the people to help you, they’re eagerly hoping to sign up first. That’s amazing.

Rad. Well you’ve been inspiring a ton of people for a long time and a lot of the people that are doing adaptive surfing now are doing it because they’ve been through your program or seen your program or other people have started programs similar just to expand.

Yeah. I love it. I love that there are more programs all around the world. That’s super cool. We can’t do it everywhere, so the more events the better for people. So, I’m all for it, but it’s cool to see that people look up to Life Rolls On and me.

So what is the biggest challenge, if you had to give advice to these other smaller organizations?
The biggest challenge is trying not to grow too fast. People want to just grow, grow, grow and you kind of got to just keep it a grass roots, smaller, intimate, family-like vibe. I just tell people to take it slow and get help.

That’s good advice. In your career, what would you say your biggest success is? You won Gold at the first ever ISA World Adaptive Championships, I’m sure that ranks pretty high up there?

Winning the world title is amazing, that was super rad. Just seeing that the kids that are going through the program right now getting inspired by Life Rolls On and me winning a world title, that’s saying that one day maybe they could win the world title, and that’s so cool.

You do public speaking, as well, correct?

Yeah. I travel around the country and go to schools and companies and they hire me to do motivational speaking. I love talking too, whether it’s ten people or a thousand people, just talking about life and appreciating it, never giving up on your hopes and dreams and all those kinds of things.

Speaking about life, obviously it’s the next chapter in life coming up for you guys, I heard the big news about the twin baby boys coming.

Yeah. Two boys coming in September. We’ll try to get them sponsored by Channel Islands and Hurley right out of the womb. Signed contracts!

What you are doing right now is helping to make it that much easier for adaptive surfers of the future, so thanks for that. So, what’s next on your agenda?

I’m just traveling and trying to find amazing waves. Heading to Fiji and Mexico in the next month and a have to enjoy some more good waves and I am excited for my growing family.

photo: Jeremiah Klein
 

Beach Reads - Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning

Aaron James, the bestselling author who wrote A--holes: A Theory has tackled a new subject in his latest book, Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning, paralleling lessons learned in surfing with broader issues of everyday life.

International Business Times had a chance to chat with James about some of the topics in the book and James disclosed, " the approach is to run a bunch of philosophical questions through a certain type of person. Grounded in that way, I found I could connect up big ideas in a way one can't in specialized academic philosophy. The surfing book takes the same approach (as A--holes: A Theory). I run an even more ambitious set of questions for the ages through surfing, or what the surfer knows in knowing how to ride a wave, which is "adaptive attunement."

You can check out the full interview between Aaron James and International Business Times HERE

Why Surfing with Foster Youth is Adaptive Surfing

Urban Surf 4 Kids (US4K) is a unique outreach organization that works to empower orphan and foster youth through healthy outlets, such as surfing and community service based mentoring programs. Using water sports as a catalyst, US4K teaches kids how to first have fun, and then give back to their communities and neighborhoods through local service projects.  US4K is working to decrease the number of foster or orphan teens who become part of the negative statistics by creating an “ohana” or family dynamic with them. US4K welcomes our youth into our Ohana as our “Hanai ”, brother and sisters, and we serve over 700 youth annually. 

By teaching at-risk youth about the power and healing properties of the ocean, they begin to see themselves as a part of something greater. US4K’s surf and life skills training clinics enable community mentors to work with foster and orphan youth to prepare them to transition out of the system, and give them something positive to focus on in their daily life.  US4K works with some youth who have suffered incredible emotional and physical abuse and we believe that the ocean is one on of the ultimate healing tools when dealing with trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

Adaptive surfing is categorized as surfing accomplished by someone with a disability.  We are learning that disabilities can take on all shapes and forms and are not limited to just physical limitations.  More and more organizations and foundations are using water therapy to treat PTSD and emotional trauma, primarily in veterans returning from conflict. Our youth must overcome their fears and learn how to focus 100% of their thoughts and actions, without distraction, into a singular function in order to be successful in the water.  Surfing is one of the few experiences that the youth have available to help them do this. Surfing and water therapy can begin and advance healing in our youth in many ways, but I will focus on just two main points. 

First, being in the ocean and surfing can alleviate emotions that our youth can’t seem to get a break from in their ordinary lives.  Surfing requires an intense amount of focus when in the water.  Surfing may be the only outlet where these youth can commit their full attention and focus to something that lets them be in the moment and free from the pain and emotional suffering they sometimes experience. This teaches them, indirectly, to cope with emotions such as fear and anxiety in a safe and supported environment.

Secondly, it is widely known that exercise is a way to naturally release hormones in our bodies that produce healthy and positive feelings within the body.  Surfing requires a tremendous amount of physical exertion, which leaves our youth happily tired and exhausted after a long day in the water.  One of the most common side effects from PTSD and emotional trauma is Insomnia.  Surf Therapy allows our youth to naturally battle insomnia by safely exerting energy from their bodies, which prepares their body for a restful night of sleep.  Our belief in the healing properties of surfing aligns with Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s (2015) theory of “flow”, which states, “physical exertion and intense focus (required to surf) often produces flow states, which flood the brain with neurochemicals like anandamide and serotonin,” the same substances found in antidepressants. In addition, it’s believed that when people are submerged in water, their bodies alter the balance of epinephrine and dopamine to the levels achieved during meditation.”  

US4K is committed to providing this surf therapy as a natural approach to healing PTSD and emotional trauma in the youth we serve.  US4K is committed to serving our youth and providing an Ohana to them that is nurturing and supportive as they transition to adulthood. Adaptive surfing is just one of the many aspects of our organization that is making positive change in the lives of local youth. To learn more and join our ohana, please visit www.urbansurf4kids.org.

Craig Jenkins is the San Diego Chapter President for Urban Surf 4 Kids

Remembering Sam Day - "Surfing & the Human Spirit" by Lorna Day

One year ago the global surf community lost a very special member, Sam Day. Sam battled with cancer while falling in love with surfing. The stoke he felt riding waves and the support from the surf community had unparalleled value for Sam. He was the inspiration for the Jr. Seau Foundation Adaptive Surfing Program presented by Challenged Athletes Foundation and his legacy lives on each day through adaptive surfers from across the world that are inspired by his stoke, courage, and tenacity.

Lorna Day, Sam's mother, puts it best below by poetically describing Sam's relationship with surfing and the power that surfing has on the human spirit in the article she wrote for Adaptive Surfing Magazine: Vol. 2, "Surfing & the Human Spirit". Please take a few minutes to read Lorna's heartfelt words and help us celebrate Sam...

photo: Rich Cruse/CAF

I remember so clearly, recognizing that my son’s battle with cancer was more than just a risk to his life, it was also a threat to his spirit.

Sam was a spirited kid, to say the least. He thrived on big ideas, competition and adventure. He loved to laugh and his quick wit engaged his teachers even more than his peers. “Spirited” practically defined him, and sometimes it got him into trouble. I liked that about him.

He was nine years old when we found the tumor in his left fibula. Ewing’s sarcoma is a rare and relentless bone cancer. The nine-month chemotherapy protocol was brutal. His only break was for surgery. He wasn’t supposed to lose his leg, but the initial surgery did not go well and we had to decide between radiation or amputation, just below the knee. When Sam finished treatment in May 2011, he was skinny, bald, and missing a leg.

A couple of weeks into that dark and agonizing journey, I remember feeling confident that we would get to keep Sam, but worried we would lose his spirit. So, we began seeking life-giving opportunities to pull that sparkle out of him whenever possible. Our family made a commitment to living well, to the best of our ability. We had two battles on our hands, the fight against the cancer, and the fight to live well.

A year after completing his treatment, Sam relapsed with a tumor in his other foot and the surgeon took his two biggest toes and their corresponding foot bones, leaving him with three little toes and a fragile right foot. He was still getting chemotherapy when he was introduced to surfing.

photo: Rich Cruse/CAF

The Challenged Athletes Foundation invited us to La Jolla for a weekend of sport among other athletes with all kinds of disabilities and surfing was the first clinic of the weekend. Once we arrived, volunteers helped Sam navigate a wetsuit for the first time and introduced him to some other young athletes. He’d never seen so many amputees before. They were kids just like him, but different too. Across the beach we saw kids in bright yellow and green CAF rash guards. Some of them missing one leg, some two, some were impaired from the waist down and some seemed to be disabled all over. My eyes were constantly scanning people to see what was missing. But it didn’t matter what was missing. These kids wanted to go surfing and the energy around this community was contagious.

The kids gathered for a brief introduction on the beach, where they learned some basics as well as the most critical move of a surfer....the shaka. Then they hit the waves with their designated surf coaches. There were legs and wheelchairs left behind along the beach, depending on what was just right for each body. Some parents stood at the edge of the water holding their kids’ leg to make sure it didn’t get sand in the grooves and pockets of the essential equipment. Sam had a plastic leg made especially for the water, so he kept it on under his wetsuit and headed out with his designated surf coach.

He was hooked from the very first wave.

My husband and I watched from the shore while he surfed in on his knees on a large foam longboard yelling “THAT WAS AWESOME!!!” Again and again, he rode the waves until he could do it standing up, always checking to make sure I got it on video. He was so stoked you would never believe just three days prior, he had been hooked up to multiple bags of chemotherapy feeling nauseous, tired and lethargic. Those waves were good medicine.

photo: Rich Cruse/CAF

He came home from San Diego and proclaimed to friends, teachers and family, that surfing was his new favorite sport.

A year later, he went back to San Diego for another chance to surf. He was paired up with Liam Fergusen, who was working with the ISA at the time and volunteering at the CAF kids surf clinic. Meanwhile, cancer had continued its relentless invasion, this time to Sam’s lungs. He was the only bald surfer on the beach. But, despite the intensity of his challenges, something really cool happened to Sam that day.

There is a name for what he experienced. “Flow”.

A behavioral scientist named Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi developed the concept. He had observed at a young age, that people could find happiness through activity, even after the most devastating life circumstances. Flow describes what happens when someone is so blissfully consumed by an activity, they lose track of time and awareness of everything going on around them. They become so immersed in what they are doing, the individual gets lost in pure happiness. It is that moment when everything you are doing comes together so perfectly, you spontaneously think, (or yell) “THIS IS AWESOME!”

Sam found his ultimate source of “flow” when he surfed with Liam that day. I found myself watching him wave after wave after wave, his spirit more alive than I had seen it in many months. When the clinic time ended, Sam had no idea. He just kept surfing until someone told him it was time to come in and I am pretty sure he came out of the water with a new identity. He was no longer just the kid who lost his leg to cancer, he was a surfer.

photo: Val Reynolds/CAF

Of all the kids on the beach that day, Sam was fighting the toughest battle. But somehow, surfing gave him a contagious smile, and the “stoke” became tangible.

Through the years, I have had the privilege of knowing several adaptive surfers. Many of them became injured because they crave the addiction to flow. Their injuries are a result of the pursuit of a deeply satisfying engagement in challenging physical activity. And yet, the spinal cord injury, or amputation, becomes a threat to everything their spirit needed to thrive. If a body does not work properly any more, how can you achieve the pleasure of mastering movement while riding a wave?

The adaptive surfing movement has opened the doors for people who have endured traumatic, life- altering circumstances to find their flow once again. It is an invitation for the human spirit to thrive.

It was not so much the impairment that threatened Sam’s spirit. It was the ongoing battle with the disease and the consuming nature of cancer. He was born with an incredible spirit, but no matter the level of stoke you are born with, the human spirit needs to be nurtured. Achieving a sense of flow through sport can offer a heavy dose of happiness for the grieving human heart.

I lost my remarkable surfer boy on August 27th, 2016. Though the battle had been long, the end came quickly and unexpectedly.

Just six weeks before Sam died, he was surfing. He arrived at the Jr. Seau camp in a bit of pain, his lungs unable to take on the oxygen needed for more aerobic activities, and he was carrying some anger because of the setbacks he was facing with his cancer. I remember handing him off, with humble gratitude, to a community of instructors and peers who exude positivity, compassion and stoke.

He was a bit rusty and timid at first, not the normal “Sam” energy. But the peace of the water out beyond the waves, the positivity of his competent surfer friends, and the sense of mastery he began to grasp once again over the waves of the Del Mar beach brought life back into his spirit.

On the last day of surf camp, the kids had the opportunity to compete. Adaptive surfers Dan and Christiaan sat in beach wheelchairs at the edge of the waves to act as judges while young surfers entered their

first ever surf competition. It was a small event. There were no massive crowds, no impressive sound system with running commentary, no brand name sponsors or massive banners to draw attention to the event. But all Sam needed was an opportunity to compete once again. Having to drop out of sports at the age of nine took a toll on his competitive spirit. So, he lit up at the opportunity.

He took to the waves with methodical determination and I watched his mind and body work in sync with the ocean on a level I had not seen before. He surfed with skill and it showed on his face. He took wave after wave, competing against his good friend and fellow amputee, Kevin, throwing shakas with each ride. I know what stoke looks like because it was written all over Sam’s face. Another transformation had taken place.

When the horn blew, Sam came out of the water, tired from giving it his all but beaming with satisfaction. He said, “Mom, I feel like I surfed perfect!”

After a series of heats, the judges tallied up their scores and announced there was a tie for first place. Sam and his friend Kevin would compete for first with a “surf off.” Both young men were challenged by the final battle for first place and Kevin ended up with the win.

Just weeks before Sam died, he was full of life. To non-surfers, it is hard to imagine why I might suggest the significance of that experience. I had a sick downtrodden son on my hands. He was dying and we didn’t even know it. No matter how strong or how big a person’s spirit is when they are brought into this world, there are times when human spirit needs to be nurtured in heavy doses. We all come alive with different experiences and for some, surfing makes the world go round.

Sam was blessed that week with a rare and remarkable community of surfers, the beauty and healing serenity of the ocean, and the buzz of a healthy competition. He found FLOW by training his battered, weary body to dance with the waves.

In Sam’s words “It’s one of the best things you’ll ever do, it’s one of the best experiences you’ll ever have. When you finally catch that one perfect wave, it just feels so awesome.”

photo: CAF

You can learn more about Sam Day and the Jr. Seau Adaptive Surfing Program presented by Challenged Athletes Foundation that he inspired in the following video.

Official Results: 2017 Adaptive Surfing Championships at Duke's Oceanfest presented by AccesSurf

Another Adaptive Surfing Championships at Duke's Oceanfest presented by AccesSurf is in the books and although this event is most well known for smiles, stoke, and the aloha spirit, there must be champions crowned at the end of the day. Stellar performances were given by all, but here are the official results.

Congratulations to all of the competitors from around the world that came out to be at this event and to AccesSurf for putting on such a stellar event that stands as a pillar for the Adaptive Surfing community. Many thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make this event possible.

Alana Nichols. photo: Jason Rose

Alcino "Pirata" Neto. photo: Jason Rose

Smiles from the podium. photo: Jason Rose

Excitement Mounts for 11th Annual Duke's Oceanfest

The global Adaptive Surfing Community is abuzz as everyone mobilizes to Hawaii for the 11th annual Duke's Oceanfest International Adaptive Surfing Competition presented by AccesSurf. What started as a small, friendly, grassroots competition has spawned into one of the most important events on any adaptive surfer's calendar. There is something about the aloha spirit, the jade water color, and flawless waves of Waikiki that make this gathering so special for adaptive surfers from across the globe.

Congratulations to AccesSurf for hosting such an amazing event year after year!

If you are not already excited, this video from last year's Duke's Oceanfest, beautifully shot and edited by Freedomedia, will push you over the edge.

First Ever English Adaptive Surfing Open set for Sept. 16 in Cornwall

PRESS RELEASE: SURFING ENGLAND

2017 English Adaptive Surfing Open

September 16th 2017 – Watergate Bay, Cornwall

Surfing England, its partners and sponsors are proud to bring you the first ever English Adaptive Surfing Open, an event for surfers with a variety of disabilities to be held at Watergate Bay in Cornwall on Saturday 16th September 2017.

This inaugural event signifies the development of England’s adaptive surfing programme in line with the global momentum push for Adaptive Surfing and in preparation for the World Adaptive Surfing Games this autumn.

The event will see adaptive surfers united in a common love for surfing, and with the goal of taking the titles, whilst having fun and competing against their peers, in divisions identified by their surfing functional ability; Assisted; Prone; Sitting/Kneeling; Standing & Open.

Surfing England aim to raise the profile and opportunity for adaptive surfing and build off the important work already in place from event partners in Help for Heroes, The Endeavour Fund, Operation Surf, The Waveproject, Surfability UK and The Wave.  Surfing England see Adaptive Surfing as an integral part of the English Surfing community and area that they want to celebrate and grow – as their first Adaptive event they hope to learn and provide a day of inclusivity, rivalry and enjoyment.

The criteria for surfers to participate can be seen here: CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA

If a surfer has any query over eligibility to participate please contact: Nick Rees, event manager – please detail your case for entry and this will be reviewed by the entry committee: Nick@surfingengland.org

To enter please click the event link and purchase ‘tickets’ to your chosen division. All spectators’ welcomed, free entry and no tickets required.

>>>English Adaptive Surfing Open Entry<<<

Entry costs £5 per surfer and closes on Thursday September 14th at 9am. The event call (condition dependent) will be made by 12pm that day via Surfing England. Entry is based on first come first served and is limited in each division. Surfers must be a member of Surfing England or another surfing federation. Not a member? Join from £15 a year here: JOIN Surfing England

Surfers are expected to use the correct equipment (including surfboard and wetsuit), these are to be in line with ISA rules and ISA Adaptive Rules. Wave Skis are permitted in the sitting and assisted divisions only – please notify event organisers if you intend to use a Wave ski. If a surfer is unsure on the eligibility of their equipment please contact the event organisers.

The event judging criteria information is taken from the ISA Adaptive Rulebook which can be seen below.

Surfers wishing to be considered for selection into Team England Adaptive Team for the World Adaptive Surfing Games, California in November should register this register their interest with event organisers. Eligibility policy for England can be view online and please note the detailed participation criteria:

– Surfing England English Team Eligibility Policy

– ISA Adaptive Rulebook

Thank you to sponsors Caravan & Motorhome Club, Korev Lager, Surfdome, Jeep, GoPro, Pacsafe, Dryrobe and Stance.

Stance Renews its Partnership with the ISA Through 2018 as Title Sponsor of the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship

PRESS RELEASE: INTERNATIONAL SURFING ASSOCIATION (ISA)
August 15, 2017
 

First edition of event under Paralympic recognition to take place November 29 – December 3 in La Jolla, California

The International Surfing Association (ISA) is delighted to announce that Stance has agreed to continue their dedicated support of Adaptive Surfing and continue as Title sponsor of the Stance ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship for two more years, through 2018.

Stance, an innovative, industry-leading lifestyle brand, first joined the inaugural edition of the event in 2015 as a presenting sponsor. In 2016, Stance stepped up their support to become the event’s first title sponsor and now has committed to continuing as the top supporter of the event through 2018, solidifying their brand’s integral, historic role in the growth and development of Adaptive Surfing world-wide.

“At Stance, we are excited to continue being a part of this amazing event,” said President and Co-Founder of Stance, John Wilson. “Each athlete has an inspiring story of perseverance, courage, and determination that epitomize our core value of human originality.

“We have watched Adaptive Surfing blossom before our eyes at the last two editions of the event. We are looking forward to contributing to this incredible community in a positive way and being part of the sport’s journey towards Paralympic inclusion. We know that with hard work these athletes can make their countries proud and get to the world’s greatest sporting stage.”

The 2017 edition of the World Adaptive Surfing Championship, taking place from November 29 to December 3 at La Jolla Shores beach in La Jolla, California, will notably be the first since the ISA was officially recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as the International Federation for the sport of Para Surfing (Adaptive Surfing) and will mark another step towards the ISA’s ambitions of including Adaptive Surfing in the Paralympic Games.

In 2015, the inaugural ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship became the first-ever world championship platform for surfers with physical challenges. At the time, 69 athletes from 18 countries around the world gathered to unite through Surfing. The second edition of the event in 2016 exemplified the exceptional growth of the sport, as 77 athletes from 22 countries participated in the event, breaking the record for country and athlete participation, which is expected to be broken again in 2017.

Brazil’s Davi Teixeira celebrates his Gold Medal performance, leading Team Brazil to the overall Team Gold Medal at the 2016 edition. Photo: ISA / Sean Evans

The reverberating effects of Adaptive Surfing’s growth can be felt not only at the world championship, but also at the numerous national championships around the globe that have ridden the wave of momentum created by the ISA. ISA Member Nations such as France, Australia, Chile, Brazil, USA, Hawaii, and South Africa have all held their own National Championships to select teams for the event, with more set to do so before the upcoming World Championship.

Adding to the prestige of the event, renowned Southern California surf artist, Andy Davis, brought his passion and energy to the World Championship and created the official artwork for the third consecutive year.

ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said:

“The ISA is proud and excited to make Surfing more accessible to those with physical challenges. These world-class athletes deserve a world-class platform to compete, share best practices, and crown world champions.

“The ISA’s commitment to Adaptive Surfing has never been greater, as we are spearheading the movement via working with the International Paralympic Committee, organizing the World Championship, Adaptive Surfing clinics, symposiums, and leading important development initiatives through our National Federations.

“I would like to give a huge thanks to Stance, who has shown their passion and commitment to being a socially responsible brand that makes a positive impact on the world. Stance has been a key partner in growing and developing Adaptive Surfing and we are thrilled to continue to count on their invaluable support.”

The 2017 edition of the event will follow the team competition format that debuted in 2016, which resulted in Team Brazil earning the honor of the first-ever Adaptive Surfing Team World Champion in history.

The full schedule of events for the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship will be announced soon on isasurf.org.

For more information about Adaptive Surfing, click here.

About Stance Inc.
We have turned socks into one of the world’s most exciting accessories in less than five years. Our founders saw a category that had been ignored, taken for granted, looked over, and dismissed. By creating life into something that had been overlooked, we ignited a movement of art and self-expression that has drawn athletes, performers, and iconic cultural influencers to the brand–a group we call the Punks & Poets. By underpinning our creative roots with a relentless focus on technical innovation, we’ve ensured that Stance socks are now found in over 40 countries on the feet of those who dare to be different.

About The International Surfing Association:
The International Surfing Association (ISA), founded in 1964, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. The ISA governs and defines Surfing as Shortboard, Longboard & Bodyboarding, StandUp Paddle (SUP) Racing and Surfing, Bodysurfing, Wakesurfing, and all other wave riding activities on any type of waves, and on flat water using wave riding equipment. The ISA crowned its first Men’s and Women’s World Champions in 1964. It crowned the first Big Wave World Champion in 1965; World Junior Champion in 1980; World Kneeboard Champions in 1982; World Longboard Surfing and World Bodyboard Champions in 1988; World Tandem Surfing Champions in 2006; World Masters Champions in 2007; and World StandUp Paddle (SUP, both surfing and racing) and Paddleboard Champions in 2012.

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 103 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro. The ISA’s four Vice-Presidents are Karín Sierralta (PER), Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), Casper Steinfath (DEN) and Barbara Kendall (NZL).

Hospital Makes a Splash: Adaptive Surfing Trip for Patients with Disabilities Set for Long Island

A hospital sponsoring a surfing trip to Long Island for young patients with disabilities gives new meaning to the term “patient care.” The Adaptive Sports Academy at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is enabling young patients with cerebral palsy, an amputation or other physical challenge to participate in athletic activities they never dreamed possible.

The Adaptive Sports Academy organizes trips and recreational experiences for pediatric patients to build their self-confidence, encourage independence, and increase physical activity and mobility. The first adaptive surfing trip is set for Monday, August 14, from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm in Long Beach, on Long Island.

Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports for people with disabilities. HSS works with trained volunteers from local and national adaptive sports organizations to support patients participating in the academy. Depending on the activity, rules or equipment may be modified to meet the needs of participants. Trained volunteers at Skudin Surf in Long Beach will be helping the young people, ages 7 to 21, ride the waves on August 14.

Several patients who’ve signed up for the surfing excursion have cerebral palsy. They’ve had multiple surgeries and use crutches or a walker to get around. One patient has prosthetic legs. Some will need a wheelchair to get to the water, but that won’t stop them from getting on the surfboard. On previous trips, they were thrilled to learn they could climb a rock wall or ski down a slope. Other patients looking forward to the surfing trip are new to adaptive sports. All are very excited about learning how to surf. 

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the kids to socialize with other patients and accomplish things they didn’t realize they could achieve,” says Peyton Katz, pediatric patient and family care coordinator at HSS. “It’s also an incredible experience for parents who become aware of what their children are capable of.”

Previous outings have proven to be life-changing for many children and teenagers, enabling them to participate in a sport for the very first time. A 21 year-old patient who previously went on an adaptive skiing trip said it was “liberating.” The HSS program is offered without cost, thanks to the generosity of Academy sponsors.

“The Adaptive Sports Academy gives our patients a chance to develop new skills and interests, and it promotes mobility and activity. It also reinforces therapy goals by engaging participants in a new activity and requiring them to use their bodies in a new way,” explains Dr. Lisa Ipp, chief of Pediatric Medicine at HSS. “There is also an emotional component. Patients are so excited about what they can achieve, and parents are so thrilled to watch them. The outings have also cultivated connections between families who stay in contact long after the event ends.”

“Some kids are not sure at first how well they’ll do, but they always exceed their own expectations,” Peyton says. “Some parents cry when they see what their child can accomplish.”

After the surfing event, patients will be able to try their hand at horseback riding. An adaptive/therapeutic horseback riding trip is scheduled in Mount Kisco, New York at the end of August.

#     #     #

About Hospital for Special Surgery

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. HSS is nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics and No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2017-2018), and is the first hospital in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center four consecutive times. HSS has one of the lowest infection rates in the country. HSS is an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College and as such all Hospital for Special Surgery medical staff are faculty of Weill Cornell. The hospital's research division is internationally recognized as a leader in the investigation of musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases. HSS has locations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. For more information, visit www.hss.edu

Attitude Adaption by Shaun Tomson

In December of 2015 I went to watch the first ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships held at La Jolla Shores in San Diego. Sixty-nine competitors from nineteen countries competed in four different divisions and the entire field was composed of athletes who endure daunting physical challenges – quadriplegics, paraplegics, blind, and missing limbs. Each surfer has their own story of courage and indomitable optimism, of adapting their attitude to the cards they had been dealt, to the life they had been given.

JP was on a motor bike when a driver jumped a stop sign and smashed into him – he was left for dead and lost his leg. Dries was a powerhouse of muscle, one of South

Africa’s most promising rugby players when a truck driver lost control and pushed his car into a ravine – he broke his spine and is paralyzed from the waist down. Gallo from Spain is totally blind in both eyes, gets called into waves by a friend, and surfs by feeling the energy of the wave he is riding. Chris had his leg torn off by a tiger shark in Hawaii, and Bruno is paralyzed below his waist – he eventually won the unassisted prone surfing division for a Gold Medal at the World Championship . In his previous life he was a boat captain taking surfers on exotic trips around the islands of Sumatra. He lived an idyllic life, based in a tree house on the tranquil island of Bali. He came back to his homeland of South Africa and en route to the airport was attacked by four men in another car, waving guns, shouting at him to pull over. When he wouldn’t stop they filled the car with bullets, and he rolled the car trying to escape. After the crash the gangsters returned and while trying to drag him out of the car to rob him, the car toppled over and broke his back. He was left for dead and discovered a few hours later.

Watching all these men surf was a truly inspiring experience. They had traveled from across the world to challenge themselves, to push against their own limits, riding and being liberated by the ocean’s energy. What impacted me deeply was their optimism, their exuberance, their love for life and the fact that each of them had made the choice to live a positive life by having a positive attitude. They had adapted their attitude to their circumstances.

Jean-Paul Veaudry, making Tomson proud. photo: Bruce Viaene

In his best selling book Man’s Search for Meaning, holocaust survivor and pioneering psychiatrist Viktor Frankl wrote of attitude in relation to his experiences in the Nazi death camp Auschwitz, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms: to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Each and every one of us has lived through times of heartbreak and despair, and I have come to a hard understanding of certain truths:

We all live in a challenging sea, and our attitude towards those challenges defines who we are, and how we live our lives. Our attitude is our fundamental choice in life – positive or negative, hopeful or despairing, positive or optimistic. We have limited control over our circumstances, however we have absolute control over our attitude.

Our attitude about the present defines our future. Our attitude about the future defines the present.

Our attitude defines how we see the world and how the world sees us.

Our attitude is the power that propels us on a journey from where we are, to where we want to be.

Our attitude is the light that can show us the way out of darkness.

It is a fundamental choice for all of us.

Good or bad?
Positive or negative?
Optimistic or pessimistic?
Hopeful or despairing?
It is a simple choice.

It is a fundamental choice to be made by everyone on this planet and this choice can change us and change our lives and change the world all around us.

There is a lot of goodness in this world and we all have this light inside of us.
And this light shines through to the world and people around us, in our attitude.

It is up to each and every one of us whether we wish to shine this light on the road ahead and illuminate the way forward, towards a better future for all.

I would like us all to consider the simple question - What is your attitude?

It is an answer, a choice without any shades of grey, without nuance, without complexity.

Positive or negative, optimistic or pessimistic.

Do I choose to build my attitude and the attitude of those around me with the light of hope or the darkness of despair?

Rise of Adaptive Surfing

Before the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship (WASC) was held in LA Jolla, California in September of 2015, most adaptive surfing competitions were a bit of a catch all. There was no consistency in the rules of who was competing against each other and how they competed. The first adaptive surfing competition that I attended was in 2004. I remember showing up excited to watch the competition and to see the progression of the sport. As we got closer to competition I saw the heat draw and realized the surfers were all grouped together and it did not matter if they had a below knee amputation or if they were paralyzed, they were in the same heat together. This was not the fault of the organizers, adaptive surfing just had a long way to go, but these events acted as a catalyst for the adaptive surfing opportunities we see today.

One of the main reasons that all of the adaptive surfers surfed in the same heat is because there were very few adaptive surfers at that time. Adaptive surfing was in its infancy and not too many people were taking the plunge. The sport was pushing the boundaries and showcasing what could be done, but with few adaptive surfers in the water in general, there were even less participating in competition. Adaptive surfing was starting to be recognized and people were learning about the sport for the first time, not so much competing. Although there were only a few who were competing, many dreamed to. Competitions did not have enough adaptive surfers, so athletes with different impairments were placed together in a heat. It was impossible to accurately place them in the same division based on a minimum impairment requirement- today’s standard best practice for classification.

With the sport new to competition, few adaptive divisions being held and few surfers competing, another major factor to consider is consistency of athlete classification. If one competition in the United States was hosting an adaptive division they had their own set of rules and ways to divide the athletes. If you went to another competition up the coast, you would find a new set of rules. This was the case throughout the world until the ISA WASC occurred in 2015 setting a standard for all to follow.

Over the past two years the sport has flourished. There are many newcomers diving in and challenging each other. New programs have emerged worldwide and existing programs are growing and receiving attention they once lacked, all while promoting the sport and expanding its reach to others. With a growing audience for adaptive surfing, the sport continues to progress. Progression can be both quantitative and qualitative. Sometimes it can be counted (number of participants, number of events, etc.), other times you just feel it.

Davi Taxiera. photo: Ana Catarina

Go to any local beach to watch an adaptive surfer and it is not hard to conclude that the progress of the sport has helped develop better equipment. It was not that long ago when using plastic piping and duct tape was the norm. Today you will find more people surfing on custom boards that were made to fit their individual needs and conditions they surf in. They surf on custom made surf prosthetic or use cushions cut to their body type. Subsequently, the safety of the sport has progressed along with the equipment. Adaptive surfing has its challenges and safety concerns for new participants, but the advances in equipment have helped modify a way for more people to participate. It also pushes the limits, allowing for progressive high performance surfing never seen before in adaptive surfing. Deep tube rides and calculated blow-tails are commonplace and adaptive surfers are charging waves that most people have no business tampering with.

Dani Burt. photo: Sean Evans

The athletes are becoming better surfers each day they paddle out. It is not often that you do not see more than one adaptive surfer paddling out with another. Together, the surfers push the limits of what can be done on a wave and who can do it first. This level of competition is friendly, but helps with the overall progression of the sport. It is because of this, more and more surfers want to compete in organized events. Ten years ago you could barely find enough adaptive surfers in one location, if you could find any to hold a heat. Now things are different. Surfers are showing up to events and ready to surf against each other. In some nations, there are seasons where adaptive surfing competitions are held over a series of events. Adaptive Surfing was growing and there became a need for an advanced classification system, utilizing the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) standard, to fairly and universally place surfers in divisions. Once a classification system was developed and adopted across the globe in 2015, surfers could compete in a more equal format. With the rise in friendly competition, an increase in surfers and their equipment and a global event to look forward to, it was evident that more competitions were needed at all levels.

A National Championship is the culminating event that many nations use to select their National Surf Teams. In 2016 we saw more National Championships for Adaptive Surfing appear than years prior. France, Australia, Chile, Brazil, USA, Hawaii and South Africa are the countries that held events prior to the upcoming 2017 ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships and used the competition as a platform for who will advance to represent their nation. This increase in elite level competition is what strengthens the field at a World Championship event. It is needed to ensure that the “best of the best” are representing their countries and surfing with others at the same elite level.

As each year passes more National Championships will be created and new champions will be crowned. Athletes are developing their sport and pushing the limits of what can be done on a board. We now have a classification system that is following IPC standards and is utilized across the globe and the International Surfing Association recently applied for membership with the International Paralympic Committee, bringing the Paralympic Games in the line of sight. The future of competitive adaptive surfing is on the rise.

Spike Kane, Christiaan Bailey, and Zach Tapec. photo: Jack McDaniel

Jay Liesener's Bucket List Surf Trip to San Diego

At Adaptive Surfing Magazine we were recently contacted by a group of surfers that have rallied around supporting their friend, Jay Liesener, and helping him maintain his passion for surfing. Leisener suffered a C4 and C5 spinal cord injury at age 17 from a trampoline accident, which has left him with 15% body function. Surfing is his favorite pastime and his friends, which dubbed themselves "Team Surfgimp", make sure he can get into the water whenever he is feeling up for it.

It comes with great sorrow to learn that Liesener's condition is becoming more and more challenging and many specialists have recommended that he live out his life in bed. Liesener made the challenging decision to do what he loves and stay active, choosing quality of life over quantity, “this is the last opportunity I have to live the life I want to live, instead of dying in a hospital,” stated Liesener.  He has always wanted to surf Southern California, so Team Surf Gimp is making it happen for him and you can come share some waves with Jay!

Jay in the pocket. photo: Courtesy

To learn more about Jay please read the article, "Death by a Thousand Waves" published by The Cape Gazette.

The video below features a recent interview with Jay and Team Surfgimp on a local television show, Delmarva Life. Take a few moments to watch, get stoked, and be grateful.