It’s been an epic start to 2024 and we’re delighted to officially announce that we have a new partner onboard, Saltrock. The support from Saltrock is enabling us to fast track our Para surfing program with the launch of a new Para Surfing Roadshow. Ultimately with Saltrock onboard, we can now offer more opportunities for people with disabilities to try surfing. This is a huge positive for the whole industry.
“We’re honoured to be supporting such an important roadshow in the Surfing England calendar; helping people with disabilities give adaptive surfing a go and highlighting the pathway for those who want to take it further. Surfing is part of our brand DNA, and to help this side of it grow, we hope will bring smiles to a lot more faces.”
Head of Brand, Marie Clarke
The Para Surfing Roadshow will go big in year 1, with 6 locations around the country on the map. We will venture from the South West, to the North East, and also visit Bristol, and Bournemouth. The team will travel across England, with highly experienced coaches and kit to give the best experience of surfing for people with a physical disability or visual impairment.
The roadshow kicked off mid-May in Bude. Glorious sunshine, and a decent swell lit up Summerleaze beach. The day was a huge success, and participants attending included a para swimmer, an adapted mountain biker, and a wheelchair rugby player. The surf filling the bay was plenty to instil the thrill of surfing in everyone who got involved. A huge thank you to AdSurf, our first partner surf school, who put in a huge effort to make the day a success.
The second and third stops took place in the North East of England at South Shields and Scarborough. Both stops brought sunshine and consistent waves allowing 20 new surfers with a variety of different disabilities to take to the water. Two young surfers with visual impairments showed huge promise for future competitive surfing and several people with spinal cord injuries returned to the water for the first time to reignite their love for the ocean. Thanks to the support of South Shields Surf CIC, The Wave Project, and Coastal Concepts for continuing the huge success and momentum of this roadshow.
Our roadshow is ambitious, with aim to identify more surfers on the trajectory for Team England Para. In 2023, the team placed a record 4th in the World, a huge achievement and ambitions are high to keep such a fantastic place. With this in mind, surfing styles are connected to the ISA Para Surfing divisions, meaning surfers will ride predominantly standing, kneeling, or prone. This may seem a huge challenge for some surfers, but our expert coaches will provide the best possible guidance to make this possible.
Kate Ross, Marketing Manager for Saltrock summarised how being involved in a Para Surfing Roadshow would bring para-surfing taster sessions to more people around the country. Hopefully, if more people know about it, they’ll give it a go, whether they’re from a sporting background or not. It’s a great way to start with a taster session! There’s also a connection to the work of our charity partner, The Wave Project, who is inclusive to people with physical disabilities and in some cases can be the start of something that flourishes competitively.”
The partnership launches for an initial 36 months, and we’re stoked to have the guarantee the Para Surfing Roadshow can build each year, thanks to Saltrock. Keep an eye on social media to check out content from the roadshow!
To find out more about the roadshow and book a place, click here.
To check out Saltrock, click here.
