Published in The Standard, March 2, 2013

PROFESSIONAL surfer and wheelchair skater Christiaan Bailey is set to inspire south-west people with disabilities to get involved in sport.

The American advocate for adaptive adventure sports suffered a spinal cord injury when he crashed his skateboard more than six years ago.

He fractured vertebrae in his back and was paralysed from the waist down.

He went on to become the first paralysed person to surf Mavericks at Half Moon Bay, California, as well as the first paralysed person to win the Western Surfing Association Championship in the US.

Now a mentor and building awareness of the opportunities for people with disabilities worldwide, he will share his story and speak about adaptive adventure sports on Monday  from 7pm at South West Healthcare’s lecture theatre in Warrnambool.

Those attending will have the opportunity to speak with Bailey after the talk.

Supper will also be provided.

The Warrnambool event is the beginning of his tour around Victoria, where he will hold a series of demonstrations and talks to build awareness of adaptive adventure sports.

Categories: newsTags: adaptive adventure sports, Christiaan Bailey, disability, pro surfer, skateboarder, Victoria, visit, Warrnambool