My name's Jack, I'm from Woy woy, NSW, AU. Love my surfing, gym and music 

From having diabeties from 10 years old my eyesight failed so too did my kidneys. In 2009 I received a kidney and pancreas transplant. The anti rejection drugs have caused 3 types of cancer(remission). In 2018 whilst surfing I broke my acetabulum or pelvis joint that hold the leg in position. The surgeries used to reconstuct the joint used pins plates and screws that restricted movement so much I had to relearn how to surf in 2019. This was achieved with the support from my Husband and Coach Brett Gibson. My main motivation came from the surgeons saying I would never Run, Walk or surf again. I used this statement to proove them wrong as I am here now.    

I grew up on an island on Sydney's Northern Beaches which is an absolute haven for watersports. I loved surfing and would get out there with my mates as often as possible. As a teen I started losing my night vision and peripheral vision. I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative condition. This progressively took things from my life not just my sight, my opportunity to drive a car, my independence, confidence, bike riding, surfing….. At this point I got into sailing and started to sail competitively, which gave me great freedom. Ocean racing taught me about everyone bringing their strengths to the team. I’ve competed in many campaigns including 10 Sydney to Hobarts. I would surf very occasionally with friends when out of Sydney. A friend who is an amputee surfer encouraged me to enter the Australian National para titles. This really inspired me, seeing others surfing despite their challenges. This has pushed me to get out there as much as I can and really work on improving my surfing. In 2019 I competed in my first international  competition, the US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships, where I won the blind (VS1) division. I competed in the 2020 ISA para surfing world titles, won silver in 2021 World titles and Bronze in 2022. I won Gold in 2023 and won the AASP tour in 2024. Looking forward to competing at Huntington Beach again, this year. 

As a teenager, Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart played soccer and was a star striker, representing Northern NSW in the Tasman Cup. After a severe knee injury and cancer diagnosis, Osteosarcoma, Mark lost his right leg at 15 years old. This did not dissuade him from his goals, and he went on to become one of the world’s first, and best, adaptive surfers.

North Coast born-and-bred, in 1978 Mono enlisted the help of Byron Bay local surfing legend and kneeboarder George Greenough and shaper Bob McTavish, to modify a kneeboard for his use, by scooping out part of the deck of the board to fit Mono’s above knee amputation.

Mono has won gold eight times in the Australian Adaptive Surfing Championships from 2016-2025. He has an impressive medal tally of 33 gold, seven silver, and 5 bronze across a range of national and international competitions. He also has 6 World Titles across ISA and AASP Professional platforms.

Moreover, he has won the title of multiple inaugural competitions, including the 2015 ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships, the 2021 Australian Para Surfer of the Year Award, and the 2022 World Professional Adaptive Surfing Championships.

He even has a day named after him in Byron Shire, the 2nd October will always be known as ‘Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart Day, to honour him winning the first ever International adaptive surfing Championships.

In 2021, Mono became the world’s oldest Surfing champion, winning the ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championships at Pismo Beach, California, at age 59. Most of his competitors average between 20 and 30.

In 2023, he was the first adaptive surfer to get a perfect score with two 10-point rides in the Final of an International event, in Japan. This is only the 4th time any surfer has achieved this feat.

Mono is proud to be an ambassador for an inclusive sport. He established Adaptive Surfers of Australia with the Surfing Australia organisation, to train adaptive surfers to Olympian levels, and help them travel around the world to compete.

For the past 2 years, Mark and his wife Debbie, have hosted the largest international professional adaptive surfing event in the world, in Byron Bay. With the endeavour of showcasing to Australia what these amazing athletes can do and has his goals set to help bring Adaptive surfing to the Paralympics for the first time in Brisbane 32.  

Just a regluar guy from a small island with big passion

Hailing from Sydney's Northern Beaches, this is Em Dieters, competing in the Women's Kneeling division.


Em's journey to the world stage is a true story of courage and resilience. In 2021, a spinal fusion surgery left her an incomplete quadriplegic at the C4 level. But with an unwavering spirit and a lifelong love for the ocean, she found her way back to the waves through adaptive surfing.

Just two years after her injury, Em was crowned World Para Surfing Champion at the 2022 World Championships in California, where she scored two massive waves in the final to take the gold. That same year, she was also named Surfing Australia's Female Para Surfer of the Year.

Em’s success in the water is matched by her commitment to the sport. She is the founder of the Northern Beaches Para Surf Boardriders Club, dedicated to building the grassroots of adaptive surfing and ensuring others with a disability can experience the "soulful" benefits of the ocean.

She is a mother of two and a fierce competitor who embodies the power of keeping your dreams alive. 

In 2022 whilst on a family surfing trip around the world I experienced a rare vascular condition that caused swelling of my spinal cord affecting my nerves and sending non oxygenated blood to my lower body. I had a life saving surgery and have been rehabilitating ever since. 5 months post injury in 2023 i got involved with competitive adaptive surfing competing on the 3 leg AASP professional adaptive surfing World Tour in Hawaii, Costa Rica and Oceanside California coming away as World Champion in 2023. Then 2024 the AASP had 4 legs in Byron Bay Australia, Hawaii, Costa Rica and Oceanside California. I managed to take the World Title win again making it back to back 2023 and 2024 World Titles. I competed at ISA 2023 making the final with an unfortunate interference going against me throwing me into 4th place then 2024 I wasn't making that mistake again and came away with the 2024 ISA World Champion win! 2025 I've won all 3 legs of the AASP World Tour making me the 3 time consecutive Prone AASP World Champion. 

Annie started surfing 2 1/2years ago and has since competed in Hawaii and Oceanside in the 2023 and 2024 AASP Adaptive Pro Tour including Byron Bay this year where she came second.

She won the Prone Assist at the Australian Nationals 2024.

Annie absolutely loves the Ocean and has found her home in the waves and the Adaptive Surf Community.

I got back in the water (June 2023) after a 17 year hiatus due to suffering a severe C5 incomplete Spinal cord injury back in 2006.

I have an amazing support crew around me, who have changed my life dramatically by helping me to get back into the water & surfing again.

Likes - I love photography (especially surfing & motocross) I encourage you to check out my work over on instagram at @c.captures_sports & give my page a follow while you're there.

Dislikes - Gossip & Gossipers!!! ALWAYS get your information directly from the source before making an assumption about someone & or their situation. Not 15th hand of some jelly numpty!! 

Cheers,

Cliffo

Joel Taylor is a World Champion paraplegic surfer born and bred in Lennox Head on the Far North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where he still calls home with his wife Lorin and their two young sons, Jay and Sunny.  

An accident at Pipeline, Hawaii in 2001 ended Joel’s past life as a professional bodyboarder and left him confined to a wheelchair; paralysed from the waist down with a spinal cord injury. Resigned to the fact that he would never walk, let alone surf again, Joel didn’t so much as touch the ocean for 20 years, until he rediscovered and fell in love with surfing again in 2022.   

Just 12 months later, in August of 2023, Joel won the Australian Para Surfing Titles. He was then selected for and later named captain of the Australian team, The Irukandjis, to compete at the ISA World Para Surfing Championships at Huntington Beach, California that November, which he also won.  

In January 2024 Joel was announced Ballina Shire Citizen of the Year for 2024 and a month later, in February, he was awarded Male Para Surfer of the Year at the 2023 Australian Surfing Awards.  

Joel’s comeback story of unrelenting perseverance and resilience has inspired people and resonated with media outlets all around the world. As is evidenced by, when, in March 2024, he appeared on the cover and was featured in Good Weekend Magazine, inside The Sydney Morning Herald, the most-read newspaper in Australia, with over eight million readers.

An avid advocate for people with disability, in April 2024 Joel joined forces with Local and State Government to push for increased disabled access at New South Wales beaches. In conjunction, he is an ambassador for Accessible Beaches Australia to help improve accessibility nationwide.

In May 2024 Joel started a partnership with Red Bull as a Wings For Life ambassador. A cause he is deeply connected with through experience, Wings For Life raises awareness and money to support research projects to help find a cure for those affected by spinal cord injury.   

By successfully defending his Australian Para Surfing Title at the Australian Surfing Championships in August 2024, Joel is now a back-to-back Australian Champion. Through winning Joel has qualified to represent Australia as an Irukandji again and will now defend his World Title also at the 2024 ISA World Para Surfing Championships in Huntington Beach, California, in November.

I've always had a love of the ocean, surfing, swimming and fishing. I was born with a genetic eye condition that gradually took away my sight. I've been surfing for 45 years, the last 7 years totally blind. I had a long career as a DJ at some of Australia's top radio stations. These days I spend my time surfing or hanging out with my Guide Dog York.

New to para surfing as I was attacked by a 4.2 m great white shark at my local beach in August 2023.

I am Grace Kennedy I was born in 1994 in Sydney, Australia.  I have 2 sisters and one brother.  I was born with spina bifida but having a disability doesn’t make me any different in my family.  Being part of a big family has probably helped push my competitive side.  Growing up on the South Coast NSW Australia in a small coastal of Jervis Bay I’ve always had a love for the water and sport.  During my school years I swam competitively, and I sailed the Sydney to Hobart in 2013.  I also played wheelchair basketball for a few seasons.  Sport has always been a big part of my life and over the past few years I’ve discovered a new passion for adaptive surfing.  Finding myself achieving a 2nd Place in the Australian Surfing Championships in 2025 and a 3rd place at the Adaptive Pro Championships in Byron Bay. When I am not surfing you can find me at the front desk of the local high school working as an admin assistant, relaxing on the couch reading with a coffee or enjoying a music at a festival or concert.