Triple amputee Army veteran that survive a 60 lbs I.E.D. i was told i would be confined to a wheel chair for the rest of my life now im showing the world how to truly live and thrive no matter the circumstances. 

My name is Quinn Waitley and I am a 26-year-old professional adaptive athlete. Born and raised in San Diego, local to Coronado. I come from a big athletic Family of seven girls and I’m also one of four identical quadruplets. Being born 28 weeks prematurely who exulted me in being born with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy, Also known as CP. Growing up I’ve played a lot of sports from wheelchair rugby to WCMX (wheelchair skateboarding) but I’ve always loved the water since I was a kid So Surfing came naturally to me. I really got into surfing when I was 20 years old, when they how old the first ISA world para-surfing championships And I took one look at my parents and told them that I wanted to be on the US national Surfing team. June 2021 that a dream became a reality and I became the first female for the adaptive prone division (prone 2), i’ve been the top female for for team USA for the last six years. I am also the 2018 Dukes Ocean Fest  women’s Prone assist champion. I’m currently ranked 6th in the world And I’m East and west coast national champion. My favorite part about surfing is getting out of my wheelchair and leaving it on the beach and going as fast as I can on any wave!. I hope to encourage young girls to get out in the water and experience the joy of surfing but also to let them know that they can be competitive even if they have limitations. One way I do that is my families and I‘s nonprofit team Quinn. Tim Quinn main goal is to let everyone with disabilities along with your families to experience surfing or just a day at the Beach, we take every level from beginner to experienced. Team Quinn prides themselves on teaching water safety and hold the team events from Coronado Shores to Cardiff. Our events are Smaller compared to most because we liked it get close to each person and their families that come out to the events. I would not be where I am today without God and the love and support of my friends and family. Since I was five years old it’s been my dream to go to the Paralympics, most of my dreams of becoming a professional athlete has already Became reality. Are you really hope Paralympics includes Surfing into the summer games and I hope to be a part of that.

Katherine has been surfing for 4 years. When she's not in the water she works as a television writer, and currently writes on NCIS. Her main sport is WCMX, and she recently placed 3rd in the first ever women's adaptive skateboarding division at The Dew Tour. She's also the first woman to land a backflip on a wheelchair.

Joshua “The Jedi” Loya started surfing much later in life, at the age of 37. A life-long martial artist, Joshua had always been intrigued by anything which tested the full human, mind, body, and soul. A year before the dawn of his surfing journey, Joshua left his career as a computer instructor and accessibility consultant to pursue martial arts and adventure living full-time. Joshua intended surfing to be a momentary diversion from his grueling training schedule. He fell in love with it, and he hasn’t stopped since.

Joshua grew up in Santa Cruz, California. He used to love to watch surfers when he was younger, but surfing was one of many activities deemed too dangerous. Almost everything Joshua wanted to do put him at risk of losing his eyesight. By the time of his sophomore year, Joshua was not allowed to run, swim, or lift weights. The stuff he especially wanted to do, martial arts, skateboarding, and surfing, were out of the question. Joshua could only hold out for so long.

Joshua became restless, taking more and more risks. He started dabbling in martial arts and more intensely joining mosh pits at concerts. In January of 1996, Joshua got to a breaking point. He cranked up Pantera’s Far Beyond Driven album as loud as he could possibly get it, grabbed a pair of nunchucks, and promptly hit himself in his sole functioning eye. Joshua had several unsuccessful surgeries to restore his eyesight, but, before all options had been exhausted, Joshua chose to stop pursuing treatment. “I knew life was going to be difficult. I also knew that the quality of my life would be better, once I no longer had to worry about losing vision I did not have.”

Once the bow string was released, Joshua moved forward with his adventuring. Rock climbing, water skiing, and the martial arts training he had dreamt of since he had been a boy. Joshua threw himself into his martial arts practice, eventually earning 5 separate black belts and rank across 7 distinct styles. Then, Joshua started surfing. His life was never the same.

Joshua’s confident and intuitive approach to surfing continues to make an impression with all those who witness him in the water. In Joshua’s short time competing, he has amassed 3 USA Surfing National Adaptive Surfing Championship wins, 1 US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships win, and a spot on the podium at 2020’s AmpSurf ISA World Para Surfing Championships. Joshua is also the first ever WSA (Western Surfing Association) West Coast Visually Impaired Champion in the organization’s 60-year history. He was the first ever 100% blind surfer to ride Kelly Slater’s wave pool at the WSL Surf Ranch, having less than a year of surf experience at the time. His unique way of movement makes those who watch him wonder if he really does use The Force.

Joshua is affiliated with Waves 4 All Surf and Sail, and he is coached by John White. He is a member of Surfight Jiu Jitsu in Del Mar, California. He is a direct student of Joel Tudor.

Originally from Santa Cruz, California.
Sometimes confused with Josh Loya, the famous big wave surfer, who is also from Santa Cruz.
Lost his eyesight in a nunchuck accident as a teenager.
Trained martial artist with 5 black belts and ranks across 7 styles.

Learned to surf in Hawaii with Lala Thomas who has become my best friend. I am trying for gold this year and have been blind for around 7 years.

Alison Eakin is a mother of three and lives on a homestead in Ojai, CA.  She is grateful for all the support of friends and family in her life that has helped her to get here today.  She is excited to be in her first surf competition and to be surfing for Team USA.  She hopes to inspire girls and other women who are legally blind or visually impaired to follow their dreams and to surf.  

I was a professional surfer and skater for 14 years prior to my injury, which was the result of a skateboarding accident while filming a part for Santa Cruz Skateboard back in 2006. At that time there were only a few of us Parasurfers spread all over the world, the advent of social media and Myspace in particular, allowed us to all connect for the first time, in a way that offered us a phenominal opportunity to join together and share ideas, tips and hopes for the future. Shortly after getting back to the water surfing post injury, I subsequently joined the able-body ranks of the ASP (now WSL) World Championship Tour and over the course of the next decade, I would travel all over the world putting on expression sessions on various legs of the tour, to help grow the sport internationally. In 2013 I was contacted by Alex Reynolds at the ISA with the concept of the World Adaptive Surfing Championships and together with their team and a core group of other adaptive surfers we founded and developed the contest! These day's, i'm Captain of the United States Olympic/Paralympic surf team and serve on the board of directors of USA Surfing. I'm a 5x USA Surfing national champion and 8x ISA Worlds medalist. I'm also the first parasurfer to surf Mavericks, Pipeline and Nelscott Reef. "I'm so proud of what we have all acheived both as a community and a Paralympic movement! The level of drive, determination and progression grows with every year in the competitors and it wont be long now, before we join the grand stage of the Paralympic Games! My sincerest thank you goes out to Fernando, Alex and the entire ISA Team for having faith in our collective vision for parasurfing!"

Captain Sarah Bettencourt (USMC, Retired) was training as a helicopter pilot when a rare neurological disorder forced her to medically retire in 2012. With her constantly changing and sometimes very serious symptoms, Sarah struggled to find her place back in society until she was introduced to adaptive sports, where Sarah realized by adapting equipment and technique, she could accomplish anything! Since then, Sarah has founded San Diego Ducks Sled Hockey, is a defenseman on the US Women’s Sled Hockey Team, is on the US Para Surf Team, and is the reigning world champion in the Women’s Para Surf Prone 1 division. Sarah lives a full and happy life with her husband and 2 sons, serving others through adaptive sports and representing her nation in sled hockey and surfing.

I have two beautiful twin boys that are 4 years old.

Olivia “Liv” Stone grew up in an athletic family. Her dad, Tom Stone, played high school/college football and her two older brothers played organized sports as well. Competitive by nature, she played soccer, basketball, field hockey and was on her high school rifle team. But by age 14 and as a a congenital bilateral above-the-elbow amputee she hadn’t found her passion. She was introduced to surfing through Bethany Hamilton at a retreat in Del Mar. She later attended CAF’s 3-day Surf Camp in 2018 where she fell in love with the sport. Liv talked her parents into moving to San Diego to train and they made SoCal their home.  She is currently on USA’s Para Surf Team where she competed in the 2019 and 2020 ISA World Para Surf Championship. She helped earn gold/silver medals for the team as well as a gold medal individually for the women’s stand 1 division last March before the pandemic hit full force. 

I recently joined team USA after switching from Team Hawaii of six years, I placed 2nd place at USA Nationals this year at Oceanside Harbor earning my spot as the #1 Womens Stand 1 division competitor.  I first started surfing in Hawaii at 10 years old, and at the beginning of 2021 I made the transition to USA and moved to the Mainland. I have also attended every ISA World Championships since 2015, where I was the first woman to win a World Championship medal. No other women would win medals until the introduction of separate womens divisions in 2017. 

Having been there since the beginning of this journey it has become very surreal to see how large this event has become and how it will continue to grow.

Dana grew up on a farm in rural Maine, He served 6 years in the Marines including service in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In late 2002 Dana lost his lower left leg in a car wreck. Four months after his accident Dana learned to surf and then founded The AmpSurf, Learn to Surf program in early 2003, to help rehabilitate the disabled through the healing power of adaptive surfing and the ocean. Dana is a certified adaptive surf instructor and developed the program used by the International Surf Association (ISA) to teach adaptive surf coaches worldwide. Dana is a team rider and member of USA Surfing and has been representing USA Surfing in Global competitions since 2019. Dana is also a three time West Coast Champion and rider in the Western Surfing Association. Dana partnered AmpSurf with the ISA in 2020 to hold the 2020 AmpSurf ISA World Para-Surfing Championships in La Jolla, CA. Dana has been recognized for his work with the disabled and with veterans several times; He has been named a CCN Hero, a California Veteran of the year, and Patriot of the year. Dana also coaches youth sports and has 5 children.

Grew up in Panama City Beach, Fl. Stationed in NC with the 82nd Airborne Division. 3 time ISA Worlds competitor. Loves short walks on the beach.

I'm enjoying being a student of surfing. This is a path I didn't envision as a east coaster & West Philadelphia native. I'm excited to represent.

Hi, my name is Breezy. I'm 19 years old. I fell in love with surfing the first time I tried it, and I'm so happy every chance I get to be in the water. My four older siblings, my dad and I have spent the last couple years training for an IronMan. That includes a lot of swimming, biking and running. I love being outdoors with my dog and near the ocean.

Was in a car accident Feb 2017 and got a spinal cord injury and became a paraplegic. At this point, no function of my legs.. Started surf therapy 6 months post injury. Started with prone assist.

1 year later I was able to surf prone unassist and did my first contest at the US OPEN ADAPTIVE SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP and took 3rd. The following year I took 1st at the Bali open. Took 1st at a few ADAPTIVE SURF League pro stops.

Started to regain some function of my upper legs due to surf therapy. Made Team USA at nationals for the kneel division. Took 1st at the US OPEN in the prone unassist. Placed 10th at the last ISA Worlds ADAPTIVE Surf Championship in 2020 as one of my early kneel division competitions. Took 4th in the 2021 US Open Adaptive Surfing Championship. 

Now back for more and hungry to move up to those single digit placements at the 2021 ISA World's Adaptive Surfing Championship. 

In June of 2014 Ethan Kairer suffered a T9 spinal cord injury swimming with his partner, that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Originally from Philadelphia he grew up spending summers at the Jersey Shore, he was reintroduced to surfing as a paraplegic in 2016, through a community of adaptive surfers in North County San Diego. After traveling back and fourth between Encinitas Ca, and Philadelphia for a few years he realized Every time he was on the East coast he really missed the healing power of the ocean, and  decided to make the move to a new home Oceanside, Ca in 2020.  Ethan is a two time National Champion in the Waveski division. The Unofficial champion of the 1st Japan Open adaptive surfing championship in 2019, that was also to be held at Shita Shita beach. It was unfortunately canceled due to typhoon Hagbis,  although some some amazing waves were caught and a great time was had.  He is also 2020 WSA champion.  Ethan thrives in the ocean it is the medicine that you can’t get from a doctor. You can find him most mornings crawling into the water for his medicine at local spots around San Diego.  He is excited to compete in the 2021 ISA world championship in Pismo Beach in December representing team USA.

Athlete: Alana Nichols
Physical Challenge: Spinal Cord Injury
Birthday: March 21, 1983
Sport: Surfing, Kayaking, Monoskiing, Basketball, Paracanoeing

Bio:
Alana Nichols grew up in Farmington, New Mexico living an active lifestyle by participating in multiple athletics and having a passion for mountain sports. In 2000 during a backcountry ski trip in Colorado, she suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury while snowboarding, paralyzing her from mid-thigh down. She thought her athletic career was over until she experienced a wheelchair basketball game her freshman year at the University of New Mexico. The physical and competitive gameplay reignited her athletic endeavors and later she transferred to the University of Arizona to participate in the intercollegiate program for disabled sports. She later played basketball at and received her master’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Alabama in 2008.
Since, she has competed in several Paralympic games and is the first woman Paralympian to win gold medals at both Summer and Winter games. Debuting at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, she won the gold competing in women’s wheelchair basketball. She went on to compete in the next four consecutive Paralympic games, winning 2 more gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze. She has competed in wheelchair basketball, Paralympic alpine monoskiing, and at her final Paralympic games in Rio, paracanoeing.
Alana may have retired from her Paralympic career, but while in the mix of training for her multiple events, she developed a passion for surfing. She has competed in the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship since 2015. 
With her boy Gunnar and partner Roy Tuscany, she will continue surfing and working to implement adaptive surfing into the 2028 games!