ISA Adapts

The first ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship has been announced as part of the world championship schedule for 2015, with eight international competitions taking place across four regions.

This year, the emphasis on South American countries as hosts has been offset by a return to the United States  for the first time since 2006 and Europe for the first time since 2011.

The ISA World Championship Series also returns to China for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting the universality of Surfing and the sport’s growing presence in new markets – particularly in Asia.

Officials hope that the first ever ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship boosts surfing’s prospects of Olympic and Paralympic inclusion by underlining Surfing’s inclusivity and widening the sport’s global reach.

2015 ISA World Championship schedule

ISA World StandUp Paddle [SUP] and Paddleboard Championship – May 10-17, Sayulita, Mexico
The 2015 ISA season officially kicks off in beautiful Sayulita, Mexico, the first time an ISA World Championship is held in the country. The world’s best SUP Racers, SUP Surfers and Paddleboarders will converge on the quaint surf village along the Pacific and compete in the ISA’s fastest-growing World Championship.

ISA World Surfing Games – May 31-June 7, Nicaragua
The ISA returns to the beautiful country of Nicaragua for an ISA World Championship, which has greeted us with amazing surf every year. Final location is still being confirmed.

ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship – September 25-27, La Jolla, California, USA
This exciting new event will showcase the world’s best adaptive surfers in this very important ISA initiative.  Partnering with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, this inaugural World Championship will help launch the important development of Adaptive Surfing for the hopeful future inclusion in the Paralympic Games.

VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship – October 11-18, Oceanside, California, USA
The world’s best young surfers will battle for Gold at the largest and most important Junior Under-18 competition in the globe at one of Southern California’s most iconic surf towns.

Santa ISA World Masters Surfing Championship – November 1-8, San Juan, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
The ISA returns to Europe in what is becoming a world-class Who’s Who in masters surfing.

Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival – November 22-28, Riyue Bay, China
The 2014 festival saw the first Chinese national surfing team ever assembled.  The top 7 Teams from the 2014 ISA 50th Anniversary World Surfing Games, plus China, will once again compete for the ISA China Cup.

ISA World Bodyboard Championship – December 6-13, Iquique, Chile
Returning to one of the most famous bodyboard destinations in the world, the beautiful city of Iquique hosts back-to-back ISA WBCs.

ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship – Date and location to be announced soon

Speaking about the 2015 calendar, ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said: “Surfing is a sport that has incredible youth appeal and our mission is to spread its unique, youthful values around the world. The ISA now has 91 Member Federations and there are 35 million surfers globally who participate in more than 100 countries. The booming popularity of Surfing in recent years shows the universality of the sport and we’re delighted that the 2015 ISA World Championship Series will span four regions – with a great mix of traditional Surfing nations and emerging new markets.

“Surfing is celebrated for its values of inclusivity. It is a sport that has no regard for wealth, status, race, creed, gender or age – we surf for our innate love of the sport. To that end I am thrilled that the ISA will host its first ever World Adaptive Surfing Championship in 2015. Our aim is to continue to promote and develop Surfing around the world – sharing the wonderful spirit of the sport.”