Porto & Matosinhos Wave Series show surfing can be for everyone

Children with special needs braved the waves during the Adaptive Surfing Meeting

Summer might be over but that does not mean beach activities cannot go on. In fact, they are still full speed ahead at the 5^th edition of Porto & Matosinhos Wave Series, a now-annual event which gathers the best surfers in Portugal to compete in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

The programme also includes workshops and meetings, and one such (Adaptive Surfing Meeting) was organized yesterday, 27 September at the Praia Internacional in Porto including the participation of 40 children and young people with disabilities.

What is adaptive surfing?

The idea behind adaptive surfing is the same idea behind any other discipline, that sports should be available enjoyed by all regardless of their physical condition. It is true that surfing itself can be quite demanding and energy-draining activity but in recent years there has been growing participation of disabled surfers leading to the International Surfing Association’s bid to have adaptive surfing included as a competitive discipline in the 2028 Paralympics.

This resilience and bravery were shown by the youngsters who came to enjoy a fun day at the beach despite the rough waves, cold water and tight surfer’s clothing. Many of them were not newcomers to the sport and have been practising before.

Much like a truly competitive tournament, this one also featured prizes and medals which were awarded to the winners by Catarina Araújo, Porto Councillor for Youth and Sports and Vasco Pinho, the administrator of Matosinhos Sport municipal enterprise.

"This is the most special and rewarding event of the entire Wave Series poster, for the experiences and happy moments that we provide to these children. And, in fact, they are what makes it so special," concluded Marcelo Martins, director of Onda Pura Surf Center – one of the organizers of the event.