Adaptive Surfing, Para Surfing, Handi-Surfing- whichever moniker is used to describe the act of wave sliding by those with physical differences, we have to admit that wave pools act as a great facilitator. From the 2019 Welsh Adaptive Champs held at the now-defunct Surf Snowdonia to SkudinSurfAD local Dylan Hronec, the Surfing Samurai, surf parks allow a level of necessary control and safety not found in the ocean.
The group responsible for getting surfing into the Olympics, the International Surfing Association, announced this week that the 2026 ISA World Para Surfing Championship will be held Nov. 19-22 at the newly minted DSRT Surf in Palm Desert, California.
The 11th edition of the championship will be the first ISA World Championship held in a surf lagoon. The event is expected to feature 140 athletes representing 24 national teams competing across nine Para Surfing Sport Classes.
DSRT Surf, developed by Beach Street Developers, includes a 5.5-acre, 8.5-million-gallon Wavegarden Cove-powered lagoon. The wave pool has been dishing out a steady stream of clips during its soft launch.
The ISA said the championship is part of its long-term effort to secure para surfing’s inclusion in the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games. Spectators will be able to attend the event in person. The ISA will also provide a live stream of the competition on its website.
Since the inaugural ISA World Para Surfing Championship in 2015, the organization said participation, performance and international participation have increased. The ISA added that it has continued refining the Para Surfing Classification System to align with IPC and Classification Code compliance while supporting national and regional competitions.
“It’s incredible to see how every year, the WPSC has continued to raise the bar,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “We are proud to provide this platform that celebrates not only athletic excellence, but also inclusion and opportunity to experience surf lagoon technology in a high-performance environment. Our commitment to Paralympic inclusion remains stronger than ever. We continue to believe that Para Surfing belongs on the Paralympic stage, and every edition of this incredible event brings us another step closer to realizing that dream.”
OG wave pool believer John Luff, co-founder and managing partner of Beach Street Development and partner at DSRT Surf said the ability to program and repeat wave conditions demonstrates how surf lagoons can complement the ocean by opening new possibilities for adaptive competition, training and athlete development.
“From the beginning, we built DSRT Surf to expand what is possible in surfing, and we are proud to host this historic World Championship,” said John. “Bringing the world’s leading para surfers together on consistent, world-class waves will create an exceptional platform for athletes to compete at their highest level, push the progression of the sport and showcase para surfing to a global audience.
Australia 2026 World Para Surfing Team
Para Surf Stand 1 (PS-S1) MEN’s
Craig McFadden (NSW)
Para Surf Stand 2 (PS-S2) MEN’s
Lachlan James (NSW)
Para Surf Stand 3 (PS-S3) MEN’s
Terry McGrath (NSW)
Para Surf Kneel (PS-K) MEN’s
Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart (NSW)
Para Surf Kneel (PS-K) WOMEN’s
Em Dieters (NSW)
Para Surf Prone 1 (PS-P1) MEN’s
Joel Taylor (NSW)
Kai Colless (QLD)
Para Surf Prone 1 (PS-P1) WOMEN’s
Grace Kennedy (NSW)
Para Surf Prone 2 (PS-P2) MEN’s
Cliff Gralton (NSW)
Para Surf Prone 2 (PS-P2) WOMEN’s
Annie Goldsmith (SA)
Jocelyn Neumueller (SA)
Para Surf VI 1 (PS-VI1) MEN’s
Steve Fox (NSW)
Para Surf VI 2 (PS-VI2) MEN’s
Finn Banks (NSW)
For more on adaptive and para surfing in wave pools, check out the articles below on WavePoolMag.
