- People with disabilities from across the country gathered for a full, free day of adaptive surfing in Watergate Bay, Newquay
- Challenge brings together whole surfing community from across The Wave Project’s 32 locations who volunteer their time to help run free surf taster sessions for people with disabilities
- Event is part of The Wave Project’s broader ambition to ensure more people can enjoy the benefits of surfing
Newquay, Monday 5th July 2021: The UK’s leading surf therapy charity, The Wave Project, welcomed people with disabilities from across the country to its 2021 Summer Surf Challenge this weekend, offering the chance to experience a unique day of adaptive surfing, for free, at Watergate Bay in Newquay.
Specially trained surf instructors and teams of volunteers worked closely with 50 people with disabilities, using dedicated adaptive equipment to support participants as many rode their first waves into shore.
The free surf taster sessions – open to people of all ages – ran from 10am until 4pm, with all participants receiving a medal.
The Wave Project is the UK’s first surf therapy charity, and aims to improve the wellbeing and confidence of young people who face mental health issues or social exclusion, through surf therapy.
The Summer Surf Challenge takes place each year in Cornwall, and offers people with disabilities of all ages the opportunity to try surfing free of charge. Pro surfers and former champions, including Russell Winter, and ambassadors Hannah Harding, Tom Butler and Lucie Donlan have all previously attended the event.
The event is part of The Wave Project’s wider remit to ensure as many people as possible are able to enjoy the benefits of surfing.
Joe Taylor, CEO and Founder of The Wave Project, added:
“The Summer Surf Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for people with disabilities to access the proven, evidence-based benefits of surfing that many of the young people at our projects enjoy. The Wave Project is committed to providing these opportunities and we’re focused on welcoming many more young people with disabilities to our sessions over the coming years.”
The Summer Surf Challenge precedes the 2021 English Adaptive Surfing Open on Thursday 8th July, taking place at The Wave in Bristol – welcoming adaptive surfers from across the globe to compete in surfing rides.