After recieving my Sight Loss and Retinitis Pigmentosa diagnosis in 2017 i was lost for a year or so. In 2019 I found that I was classifiable for Visually Impaired sports and started to train with Surrey Visually Impaired Cricket. A lot of the players enjoyed cricket for fun but also played other visually impaired sports at international level. This encouraged me to think about the sports that I enjoyed as a hobby before sight loss - surfing was my favorite. I reasearched a bit and found out about the VI categories in Surfing and the reached out to Surfing England at Surfing England to see how I could get envolved. Since then I have competed at 3 Englis Adaptive Opens, last years ISA world chamipinships, and this years HASC competition in Hawaii and the US Open in Oceanside. I surf as often as I can in Cornwall.

Hello, my name is charlotte banfield, im 26 years old and i live in Falmouth, Cornwall, England. I have Dystonic cerebal palsy, epilepsy and Autism. I will be competing in the ladies Para stand 3 category. I love to surf, and have been surifng since i was 12 years old. I surf because it is good for my mental health and I find it grounding. When im in the ocean i feel at my most happiest. I love all things outdoors including camping and hiking. These things are even more fun with my best friends. I also enjoy textiles, Sewing and painting. In 2023 I competed in the ISA world pra surfing championships and brought back the gold medal. It was a moment I'll never forget. 

I have a son, David, who lives in Germany. He is a professor at the university of Stuttgart. He lives there with his partner Julia and my Grandson Charlie  and Granddaughter Elva. My mum turnes 95 in November and still lives in the house I was born in in Liverpool.  I am one of 8 children that she had and raised with my father.  I started surfing while working at the Liverpool Water Spots Centre in the early 80's. While working there I qualified as a senior coach in several paddle sport disciplines working with the then Olympic Conoe/kayak coach.  I came to America's Pacific Northwest in 1988 to lead sea kayak and sailing expeditions in the Puget Sound on the Canadian border in the San Juan Islands. I fell in love with Washington State and made it my home.  I trained in Seattle and earned a degree in marine carpentry to become a Shipwright (wooden boat builder) I did this until I was injured in 2005. I have been competing in adaptive surfing events since 2013 and involved in adaptive surfing since 2003, before I was injured.  I was awarded the Surfing England "Global Ambassador Award" for contributions and the positive representation of English surfing within the international community. I was awarded the Life Rolls On athlete of the year in 2015 I was recently (October 2021) given the Ocean Of Possibilities Award from accessurf Hawaii for contributions to the global adaptive surfing community.  During international surf competitions in California, my house in Vista becomes base camp for many athletes traveling from overseas with 25 or more people and up to 10 nations all under one roof. I have a Poodle Service Dog named Buttons after the legendary "Buttons Kaluhiokalani" From Hawaii.  I have represented my country at every ISA World Para Championship. In 2024 I competed in the AASP world tour which includes Australia, Hawaii, Costa Rica and Oceanside. I was awarded the Jay Liesener Award for my contributions to the global community. I also competed in The Japanese Open at the Shizunami Surf Stadium in Japan. Currently ranked 6th in the world for the AASP. 

HANNAH DINES - WOMEN'S PRONE ASSIST SURFER (PS2)
Paralympian Hannah Dines is a prone assist surfer with cerebral palsy who made it onto the podium at the Para Surfing World Champs in 2021. In 2023 she sits top of the Para surf league and came second in the world in September's Association of Adaptive Surf Professionals World Championships (US Open). Her wetsuit sponsor is @ripcurl_europe WOO. Her coach is Marcio França Dias (@mfd_inc) and she's a Surfability UK CIC (@surfability_uk) athlete. She shares a shaper with Alys Barton: Johnny Purton of @jpsurfboards. Finally, she's co-developer of @surfdek handles and fenders. 10% off with HANNAHGB ;).

I've been part of the England surf team since September 21. I am currently ISA silver medalist in my division stand 2.
 I became an amputee in 2015 after a car accident. Surfing and the adaptive community has really given me a whole new lease for life and I love being in the ocean and testing my physical limits and capabilities. Since joining the England team I have travelled to Hawaii with members of the squad and Oceanside to compete in the AASP tour. I also came silver in the Welsh championships and came gold in the womens para stand in the English adaptive open. My dream is to surf as team GB in the Paralympics 

I have surfed since I was 14. Surfed lots of cool places around the world and stopped when Multiple Sclerosis kicked in and I could'nt stand up anymore. Chose to forget about surfing for 10 years, even went on Honeymoon to California and did't even get wet. Friends and family kept on trying to get me back in again. Didn't work until my friend at a surf school got me in the water again. Never swollowed so much water the first session. Fell back in love with it again and haven't looked back. I might be on my tummy, but it is always over head! 

Harlum Lewis - I have a genetic neurological progressive disorder called complicated Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis, I have always been a wheelchair user but its never stopped me from enjoying adaptive sports. I started surfing at the age of 6, both my parents surf and my dad made me my first custom adaptive surfboard so I could surf alongside my brothers and sisters. In 2020 I began to have lessons with the Wave Project.

My first competition was in 2022, The English Nationals, at the Wave in Bristol, which gave me the bug for competing. In September 2023 and July 2024 I won the English para surf prone 1 comps and last year competed at the worlds in Calafornia and came 13th in the prone 1 catgory. 

I hope to continue sufing at a high level and gain even more success over the coming years. 

I have always loved surfing and grew up learning to surf in Cornwall, UK. When I was 22 I was working in a surf camp in Morocco and the railing of the roof terrace gave way and I fell 30 feet and broke my back. I sustained a spinal cord injury and am now a full time wheelchair user.  I didn't want to go near the beach again after my accident, but in 2018 I met the English surf team and they encouraged me to have a go. I joined the team and competed in the 2018 World champs and brought home a bronze.  I started a new job working at Airbnb to help make travel more accessible at the end of 2017. After the world champs I didn't get to surf much due to work commitments (and then Covid). I am currently the accessibility lead at Airbnb and love my job. I am very fortunate to travel a lot and do something I'm extremely passionate about.  I was super excited to start surfing regularly again last year and rejoin the team! 

spinal Cord Injury c6 incomplete since 1999 - Diving in the sea, but she still draws me back!

love being a Dad to my little Girl!

Former GB wheelchair rugby player, Wheelchair Athletics and marathons UNTIL MY SHOULDERS SAID NO MORE!!! ha ha

Love the gym, the sea, paddleboarding, surfing - everything my shoulders hate!

(Survivor of the UK 1990's rave scene )but still love a good party!