'Nothing stops me,' says surfer with one leg

"Nothing stops me when I set my mind to it."

Pegleg Bennett, 55, grew up surfing with one leg and has conquered some of the biggest waves in the world.

Now his story, along with many others, is part of Surf!, a celebration of 100 years of surfing in Cornwall.

Born with a birth defect that led to the amputation of his foot at 13 months old, Pegleg learned to surf without a leg, initially using a beach activity leg provided by the NHS.

"I didn't want to be sat on the beach, I wanted to be involved," he said.

He even drilled holes in his prosthetic leg to improve its functionality, much to the dismay of his prosthetist.

"The kit we are using now, from carbon fibre and titanium, has taken my surfing to another level," he said.

Para surfing has undergone a revolutionary transformation, according to Pegleg, who changed his name by deed poll.

The turning point came in 2015 when the International Surfing Association (ISA) hosted the first Adaptive Surfing World Championships, bringing together surfers from around the globe.

Since then, the sport has exploded in popularity, said Pegleg, with the adaptive surfing, or para sufing, community becoming the fastest-growing segment of the surfing world.

Team England para surfing team is now ranked seventh in the world, its highest-ever placing, with world champions among its ranks.

"When surfing began in Cornwall in the 1960s, there wasn't any recognition for para surfing," said Phil Williams, Team England para surf manager.

"There was a lack of understanding, equipment, and support, making it quite challenging. Thankfully, that's changed now."

English para surfing has consistently performed well on the international stage and the sport is thriving in Cornwall, with athletes like Melissa Reid, a three-time world champion in the visually impaired category, and two-time world para surfing champion Charlotte Banfield.

"It's in good shape. we have some amazing athletes coming through," said Williams.

The Surfing England Para Surfing Roadshow, showcasing the world of para surfing to newcomers, kicks off on 10 May in Bournemouth, with further sessions on dates through to September at The Wave in Bristol, Scarborough, Bude, Croyde and South Shields.

Pegleg said he was "honoured" to have his surfboards and a prosthetic leg and other items exhibited Surf!, at the National Maritime Museum in Falmouth, until January 2027.

Charlotte Banfield's adaptive board and gold medal both also feature in the show.

Sam Bleakley, who curated Surf!, said: "Adaptive and para sports have really flowered in the last 15 years, and what's fantastic about surf culture in Cornwall is that we have world champions from the para community."

Although para surfing narrowly missed out on the 2028 Los Angeles Games, there is strong hope for its inclusion in the Paralympics in Brisbane in 2032, and the opportunities that could bring for extra funding.

As for Pegleg, the waves keep rolling and he is still chasing swells.

"As far as my competition life goes, I'm gonna keep competing as long as I can, until my body says you've had it or the purse strings go," he said.

"I just want to keep surfing forever."

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