France Wins Second Straight World Para Surfing Championship

Originally posted on SURFER | By Jake Howard | Last updated Nov 10, 2024 2:40 PM ET

It was a hard-fought, good-spirited battle all the way to the last horn, but when it as all done and dusted, the French dug deep and edged out the Americans to win team gold at the 2024 ISA World Para Surfing Championship. Going down in pristine autumn conditions in Huntington Beach, it was a full team effort for the French as they collectively earned two gold medals, two silver medals, a bronze and four copper medals.

For Team USA, the highlight of finals day came when Sarah Bettencourt sealed the deal on her fourth para surfing gold medal. In 2012, Bettencourt had been training to become a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps when a rare neurological disorder grounded her and forced her early retirement. Finding a second calling in the blossoming world of adaptive sports, besides being a four-time world champion surfer, Bettencourt is also the founder of the San Diego Ducks Sled Hockey Team and a defenseman on the U.S. Women’s Sled Hockey Team.

With the ISA World Para Surfing Championship now in its ninth year, Bettencourt was hardly the only multiple medalist in Surf City. Canada's Victoria Feige broke her own record of four golds, earning her fifth this year. And tying Bettencourt, Portugal'sMarta Paço earned her fourth gold.

“I just can't can't believe I'm a four-time World Champion,” Paço said. “It sounds crazy to me, but I'm so happy. I did my surfing and it worked out. As long as it gives me joy, that's what I want to do, I want to be here. My goal is not to just get the medal, but also to surf better, surf better waves, show people what I can do.”

Puerto Rico's Alelí Medina, who hails from Puerto Rico, Llywelyn ‘Sponge’ Williams from Wales, and Elias Ricardo Diel from Brazil, all earned their third gold medals. Topping the podium for the first time was France's Pierot Gagliano, England's Zoe Smith, Brazil's Luciano Silveira, Spain's Audrey Pascual, Australia's Kai Colless and South Africa's JP Veaudry.

“We were all hoping for the waves to pick up a bit so we could show our surfing,” Pascual said. “We ended up having so much fun in the water. We all caught great waves and I'm so happy it turned out that way.”

When the ISA World Para Surfing Championship first started in 2015 it was the first time an event like it was held. Nearly a decade later and it's turned into a full blown international movement that inspires surfers and athletes around the world.

"I remember at our very first Adaptive Surfing World Championships, which was the original name, one of the competitors was asked about their hope for the event," said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. "Their answer was simple: 'I hope to bring home hope.' And that's what we all bring. We hope that you take hope home. We will continue our paddle for Paralympic Surfing. We will continue our paddle for a better world through surfing and para surfing, and we will continue to support this amazing community. "

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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