Para surfing world championships ride into Surf City

The International Surfing Association’s World Para Championships, being held for the second consecutive year in Huntington Beach, has drawn the best surfers to the south side of the famed pier for nine days of competition.

More than 150 surfers from 25 national teams are competing, but they aren’t just surfing for their own individual medals, but also for their counties in an Olympic-style format.

The event kicked off Sunday, Nov. 3, with a parade down Main Street where athletes, coaches and support teams waved their country flags. A Sands of the World ceremony at the north side of the pier brought bits of the athletes’ home beaches together in a clear glass container to signify how surfing can bring people from different countries together.

The opening day also kicked off with a clinic and community gathering for para-surfing women to discuss barriers and share resources in an attempt to promote the sport to more women.

Among the competitors are 15 men and 10 women who have won world titles, including gold medalist Alana Nichols for Team USA, Davi Teixeira of Brazil and Australia’s Mark Stewart.

At the last event, Nichols earned a third para surfing gold medal and will be defending her title this week, while Brazilian Felipe Kizu Lima earned his sixth gold medal last year. Team France took the top spot in 2023 and is back to claim it again.

Visit Huntington Beach CEO Kelly Miller said the latest competition is the fifth ISA world championship that Surf City has hosted in the past seven years, with two juniors, one world games and now two para championships. Visit HB is the title sponsor of the event.

“I got so emotional watching the athletes perform and the smiles and grins they had from ear-to-ear,” Miller said of last year’s event. “We’ve heard this over and over, these athletes, the best para surfers in the world, felt truly like they were treated like the world-class athletes they are.”

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Watching the athletes is inspiring, and everyone should visit the free event, he said.

Competitive surfing for para-athletes has grown in recent years as more people have joined the ISA games. There were hopes para surfing would join the 2028 Olympics when the games come to Los Angeles, but decision-makers opted to add climbing instead.

Athletes are grouped into one of nine classifications depending on their particular physical conditions. Each classification will crown men’s and women’s world champions in standing divisions, kneel, sit, prone and visual impairment divisions.

The surfing action kicks off on Monday, Nov. 4, and runs through Nov. 9. For times and more information, visit: isasurf.org

The opening ceremony of the ISA World Para Surfing Championship’s at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team Australia travels south on Main St. during the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team Japan participates in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Georgina Melatini, bottom, of team Argentina cheers during the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

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The Sands of the Nations ceremony at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

From left, Georgina Melatini and Pablo Martinez of team Argentina cheer during the Sands of the Nations ceremony at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team Mexico participates in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Commentator Ben Wei welcomes everyone to the Sands of the Nations ceremony at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

From right, Catalina Castro and Luis Medina of team Chile participate in the Sands of the Nations ceremony at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Freddy Marimón of team Colombia participates in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team Mexico travels south on Main St. during the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team Spain participates in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Parker Olenick of team USA participates in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team Costa Rica travels south on Main St. during the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

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Team France participates in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Fans of the ISA World Para Surfing Championships cheer for Puerto Rico during a parade in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team France travels south on Main St. during the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team USA participates in the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade down Main St. in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Team Brazil travels south on Main St. during the ISA World Para Surfing Championship parade in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

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The opening ceremony of the ISA World Para Surfing Championship’s at Pier Plaza in Huntington Beach on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

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