We caught up with Stephen Lightbown, who had set his sights set on the Adaptive Surf Champs at The Wave in Bristol, to find out his progress. It’s safe to say Stephen has been on a considerable journey! Check out his story so far…
Back in February, I wrote a blog, which you can read here, about my first year as an adaptive surfer. I mentioned in the blog about a pipedream I had about entering the English Open adaptive surf competition at The Wave in July.
After writing the blog I started training hard for the competition and was amazed at the progress I had been making. In a few sessions I’d built up to surfing the advanced setting, which is the setting the comp takes place on. I can still remember that session, my first wave on the advanced was a disaster. I missed the drop completely, took a big wipe out and got churned up with the waves that seemed to just keep coming. However, I got back on the board and with a slight adjustment to my take off I started to ride the waves on that setting and my confidence grew. So much so that I also entered the Welsh Open which was to take place at Adventure Parc Snowdonia the week before the English Open.
Unfortunately, just as I was getting ready to taper my training, disaster hit. I contracted a serious case of Sepsis in June, resulting in a two week stay in hospital, some difficult conversations about whether I would actually make the night or lose a leg and once I started to recover many months of rehab. It’s probably not a surprise to read that I had to withdraw from both the English and Welsh comps. To say I was gutted was an understatement, I could live with not entering the comps, there will always be more comps, it was the fact I couldn’t be on the board that hurt the most. My leg where the infection started was twice the size it should have been and getting it into a wetsuit was not an option. So, I stayed at home, played with my six month old son and with him sat on my knee built my strength back up by pushing to the end of the street each day.
Slowly my strength returned, the swelling subsided a little and I felt brave enough to get back on the board. The feeling of relief and euphoria was incredible. I was back in my happy place. And I remembered why I surfed. Freedom, independence, a good hit of adrenaline. I might have missed out on the comps but I could surf again and I started not only going to The Wave but back to Croyde and getting churned in the sea.
And then something happened. I was given the chance to represent Team England and enter the ISA World Para Surf Championships that will take place at Pismo Beach in California. Of course, I said yes. The competition will run from the 4-11 December 2022, and I’ll compete alongside ten other Team England athletes who will take on some of the world’s best para surfers.
The ISA (International Surf Association) World Championships are held each year, and last year, 134 athletes from 24 countries participated in the 2021 edition of the event.
Athletes compete in one of nine categories that enables surfers with a range of disabilities to compete against similarly classed surfers. I’ll be competing in the Para Surf Prone 1 class, which means I’ll surf in a prone position and will not be able to have any assistance in the water. That last sentence seemed unthinkable back when I wrote the last blog in February. Surfing without assistance. Back then I couldn’t get on a board myself, I couldn’t paddle, turn, or select a wave unaided. But with some serious sea training in Croyde, Caswell Bay and Cornwall I’ve slowly got there.
As a write this I’ve just collected two new custom boards including a Skindog board. The difference in performance is unreal but in many ways I’ve gone backwards as I need to relearn how to paddle, turn and ride the wave. But if this past year has taught me anything it’s that I have to remember why I surf. It’s to be in the water, with a smile on my face. Catching a wave is a bonus, competitions are just a way of finding more ways to surf. Smiling, that’s what this is all about and I’ll have to remember that when I’m trying to catch a wave in my first heat in Pismo. Hopefully, I’ll have time to think back to being in hospital in June, look at the California shoreline ahead of me and then allow myself a smile.
To cover the cost of taking athletes and a support team to California a £20k campaign has been launched by Surfing England. Individuals wanting to show their support can make a pledge via a Crowdfunder that has been set up to try and raise at least half of the £20k.. Every ten-pound donation will also be entered into a prize draw and North Coast Wetsuits have also kindly donated a prize. In addition, athletes are also expected to raise funds themselves and secure their own individual corporate sponsors.