Surfing
2021 Team England Junior Squad Announced
Surfing England made the decision to offer all members of the 2020 squad a place in the 2021 squad. This includes the athletes who would normally have reached the age limit for the Junior Squad. In addition they also welcome two new surfers based on their performance at the 2020 English National Championships.
The athletes in the squad will have access to a variety of industry experts and dedicated coaching and training as they prepare for an exciting programme of events in 2021, including WSL Pro Junior events, the developing roster of domestic competitions, the ESF European Junior Championships (delayed from 2020) and the ISA World Junior Championships (location and dates TBC) with the ultimate aim of qualifying for the 2022 Youth Olympics in Senegal.
2020 Korev Lager English Adaptive Surfing Open
On Saturday 3rd October 2020 English Surfing held its first event at The Wave Bristol since they opened their doors a year ago.
The Wave is an inland surf facility so you can surf all year round! It’s reopening at the end of March and offers Junior surf lessons as well as spectator passes.
An incredibly talented turnout of 21 of the World’s Best Adaptive surfers took part in this iconic event.
Categories in the Adaptive Event were:
Standing
Sitting/Kneeling
Prone
Visually Impaired
Assisted
Womens Open
Mens Open
Michael Pingatore from the USA was placed 3rd overall in the Sitting/Kneeling, behind wave local Martin Pollock, and Wales’ Sponge Williams who took the win in both the Sitting/Kneeling and also the Men’s Open.
Melissa Reid, Visually Impaired World Champion, always brings an impressive performance. She claimed Champion in the Women’s Open and Visually Impaired Divisions, and 2nd place in the Standing.
The event also inspired others that surfing was a sport they could consider competing in. This is the strength of Adaptive Surfing, and this is the ethos of Surfing England, that every person should have an opportunity to surf and a place in the line-up.
Young surfer Jeremia, aged 7, loves surfing and his Mum got in touch just after the event to say “He was so excited to meet Martin! (Martin Pollock, known as 1limbsurfer). In a week where some kids at school had told him he was ‘scary’ because he was born with missing limbs.. he met his hero.. he saw him surf (Jeremia also loves to surf) and he vowed to be just like Martin when he grows up.. it was one of the highlights of my life”.
Video Credit: Surfing England
