Accessible surf school ignites passion for sport in Bristol

Sophie Elwes, a first-time surfer, is instructed by coaches while waiting for a wave. All beginner surfers at the Wave receive specialist tuition. Photograph: Jonny Weeks/The Guardian

The Wave artificial surfing lagoon is first in UK carefully crafted with people with disabilities in mind.

Fresh from her first ever surf, Sophie Elwes looks chilly but energised. The 31-year-old has spent the past hour riding prone on a soft-top board at the Wave in Bristol, a new artificial surfing lagoon that caters for people of all abilities and needs.

Paralysed from the chest down since she fell from a balcony when she was 22, she credits her passion for water sports and snow sports with fuelling her physical and mental rehabilitation. Yet Elwes, who lives in London, had never before tried surfing.

“I love stuff when it’s ‘on’ the water – it’s my happy place,” she says. “At first [after the accident] I was very wobbly but skiing and wakeboarding has given me strength. Most of all it’s helped me mentally, emotionally and with confidence. Having these kinds of experiences is a total gift.”

The Wave was conceived by Nick Hounsfield, a former osteopath who is also the director of British Surfing. Opened in October, it is the first wave pool in the UK painstakingly crafted with people with disabilities in mind: smooth access ramps, dedicated changing facilities, beach wheelchairs and specially trained surf coaches are among its features.

Full Article: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/29/adaptive-surfing-the-wave-bristol-its-my-happy-place-disability-sport