The 11th ISA World Para Surfing Championship runs November 19 to 22 at DSRT Surf in Palm Desert, California, the first ISA world championship ever held in a surf lagoon, with about 140 athletes from 24 nations across nine sport classes. England’s Zoe Smith, who won Women’s Stand 2 gold in 2024, is heading there to win her title back after training at The Wave in Bristol and Lost Shore in Edinburgh with coach Melissa Reid, a three-time world champion. Para surfing isn’t a Paralympic sport yet, so athletes are raising much of their own money, and the ISA is pushing to get it into Brisbane 2032.
ISA World Para Surfing Championship kicks off November 19th. For the first time ever, world champions will be crowned in a wave pool.
Source: Carve Magazine. Headline and summary belong to the original publisher. We link, we don’t copy.
Sources
- International Surfing Association, “ISA World Para Surfing Championship To Be Held at DSRT Surf in Palm Desert, California” (July 24, 2026): https://isasurf.org/isa-world-para-surfing-championship-to-be-held-at-dsrt-surf-in-palm-desert-california/
- International Surfing Association, “Defending Champion France Win Back-to-Back Team World Championships at the 2024 ISA World Para Surfing Championship”: https://isasurf.org/defending-champion-france-win-back-to-back-team-world-championships-at-the-2024-isa-world-para-surfing-championship/
- International Surfing Association, 2026 ISA World Para Surfing Championship event page: https://isasurf.org/event/2026-isa-world-para-surfing-championship/
- Carve, original story: https://www.carvemag.com/2026/10/in-conversation-with-2024-world-champ-zoe-smith/
