Back-to-back gold medals for Jimena Ruíz (CRC) and Marta Paço (POR)
Emma Dieters (AUS) and Maria Martin-Granizo (ESP) win first World Titles
Christiaan ‘Otter’ Bailey progresses to first Final since 2018
Pismo Beach, California, USA – December 9, 2022
Two new World Champions were crowned, while two won back-to-back World Titles on a thrilling day of competition at the 2022 Pismo Beach ISA World Para Surfing Championships.
The 2021 gold medalists for Women’s Stand 2 and Women’s Vision Impairment 1, Jimena Ruíz (CRC) and Marta Paço (POR), each scored waves in the 9.00 range in their separate Finals. The exceptional performances from both teenagers secured their second world titles.
Starting with an 8.33 and quickly backing it up with an 8.93, Australia’s Emma Dieters left fellow Women’s Prone 2 finalists Sarah Almagro (ESP), Celine Rouillard (FRA) and Jocelyn Neumueller (AUS) needing a combination of two waves to take the win. A 9.00 from teammate and defending champion Neumueller left the door open, with both surfers waiting for scores on the sand, but in the end it was first-time competitor Dieters winning the gold medal, Neumeuller, silver, Almagro, bronze, and Rouillard, copper.
“I can’t believe that this has just happened,” Dieters said. “It’s an incredible feeling. To go one and two for Australia is just amazing.”