Australia has two new world champions, with Jocelyn Neumueller (Park Holme, SA) and Kai Colless (Burleigh Heads, QLD) winning gold medals in their divisions at the 2024 ISA World Para Surfing Championship, held November 3-9 US time at Huntington Beach, California.
The Irukandjis Para Surfing Team took home a total of eight individual medals and an overall bronze at Surf City USA, Huntington Beach. Joel Taylor (Lennox Head, NSW) claimed silver, while Emma Dieters (Mona Vale, NSW) and Cliff Gralton (Tuncurry, NSW) secured bronze. Mark 'Mono' Stewart (Byron Bay, NSW), Kirk Watson (Mona Vale, NSW) and Matt Formston (Wamberal, NSW), each earned copper in their respective divisions. Chris Astill (St Leonards, NSW) and Chris Blowes (Netley, SA) also reached the Finals in their divisions.
Australia, fielding their strongest team in many years, claimed their first Team Medal since 2017 with Bronze.
Jocelyn Neumueller said: "I am stoked that we were able to take out the World Championship title in the Prone 2 category in such challenging conditions. It really tops off what was a great week, scoring the top two highest heat totals of the comp, and is a testament to the hard work my whole team has put in this year.
"Getting to lead our team as co-captain and achieve a team bronze medal just took the experience to a whole new level! I couldn’t be prouder of the team and what we achieved together.
"Massive shout-out to Insurance Advisernet for backing us this season! Their support amped everyone up, and it was awesome to bring home our first team medal since I started in 2021."
Jocelyn Neumueller. Photo Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Kai Colless. Photo Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Kirk Watson. Photo Credit: ISA / Sean Evans
Emma Dieters. Photo Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Kai Colless said: "It feels incredible to take the gold and be crowned 2024 ISA World Champion, but even more so in the same year as winning back-to-back AASP 2023 and 2024 Professional World Championships.
"Representing my country and being part of the Irukandjis Team has been an absolute honour. Being on the beach each day and celebrating all of our team's achievements has been amazing, and I’m really grateful for our team coach Josh and his input and encouragement this past week. I’m going home to graduate high school this coming Friday, so I’m looking forward to celebrating with all my family and friends."
Also competing as part of the Irukandjis Team were Lee Ferrier (Narrabeen, NSW), Michael Fonti (Nowra, NSW), and Annie Goldsmith (Erindale, SA). Joining them at Huntington Beach was Head Coach, Josh Fuller and Team Manager, Byron Hoskins.
The ninth edition of the ISA World Para Surfing Championship (WPSC) has come to a close after a massive week of action in ideal conditions at Huntington Beach.
ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:
“What an amazing ISA World Para Surfing Championship, held and presented by Surf City Huntington Beach. It was incredible days, great waves. I remember at our very first Adaptive Surfing World Championships, which was the original name, one of the competitors was asked about their hope for the event. Their answer was simple: ‘I hope to bring home hope.’ And that’s what we all bring. We hope that you take hope home.
“We will continue our paddle for Paralympic Surfing. We will continue our paddle for a better world through surfing and para surfing, and we will continue to support this amazing community. Congratulations to every one of you. Thank you to Visit Huntington Beach and big, big thank you to all the volunteers and the staff of the ISA for making this event an amazing history-making event.”
Prone2 Womens Division. Photo Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Prone2 Mens Division. Photo Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Visually Impaired1 Mens Division. Photo Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Womens Kneel / Upright Division. Photo: Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
RESULTS:
Team
Gold – France
Silver – USA
Bronze – Australia
Copper – Spain
Women’s Prone 1
Gold – Sarah Bettencourt (USA)
Silver – Paloma Onate (ESP)
Bronze – Jonne Moleman (NED)
Copper – Suzanne Edwards (ENG)
Men’s Prone 1
Gold – Kai Colless (AUS)
Silver – Joel Taylor (AUS)
Bronze – Cleuson Araujo (BRA)
Copper – Casey Proud (HAW)
Women’s Kneel / Upright
Gold – Audrey Pascual (ESP)
Silver – Vera Quaresma (BRA)
Bronze – Emma Dieters (AUS)
Copper – Erin Koffel (USA)
Men’s Kneel / Upright
Gold – Llywelyn ‘Sponge’ Williams (WAL)
Silver – Dariel Melendez (CRC)
Bronze – Altair Olivares (CHI)
Copper – Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart (AUS)
Women’s Prone 2
Gold – Jocelyn Neumueller (AUS)
Silver – Sarah Almagro (ESP)
Bronze – Georgina Melatini (ARG)
Copper – Beatrice Duran (FRA)
Men’s Prone 2
Gold – Freddy Marimon (COL)
Silver – Davi Teixeira (BRA)
Bronze – Cliff Gralton (AUS)
Copper – Jose Martinez (USA)
Women’s Stand 3
Gold – Charlotte Banfield (ENG)
Silver – Mireia Cabanes (ESP)
Bronze – Stella Papetti (ITA)
Copper – Ursula Pueyo (ESP)
Men’s Stand 3
Gold – Luciano Silveira (BRA)
Silver – Colin Cook (HAW)
Bronze – Eric Dargent (FRA)
Copper – Naomichi Katsukura (JPN)
Women’s Stand 2
Gold – Zoe Smith (ENG)
Men’s Stand 2
Gold – JP Veaudry (RSA)
Silver – Forrest Weinberg (USA)
Bronze – Nachman Balulu (ISR)
Copper – Philippe Naud (FRA)
Women’s VI 1
Gold – Marta Paço (POR)
Silver – Valentine Moskoteoc (FRA)
Bronze – Carmen Lopez (ESP)
Copper – Juliette Mas (FRA)
Men’s VI 1
Gold – Elias Ricardo Diel (BRA)
Silver – Thomas Da Silva (FRA)
Bronze – Ben Neumann (GER)
Copper – Kirk Watson (AUS)
Women’s VI 2
Gold – Alelí Medina (PUR)
Silver – Ling Pai (CAN)
Bronze – Heloise Lauriol (FRA)
Copper – Lou Mechiche (FRA)
Men’s VI 2
Gold – Pierot Gagliano (FRA)
Silver – Roy Calderon (CRC)
Bronze – Luis Medina (CHI)
Copper – Matt Formston (AUS)
For full results, video highlights and all high-res photos from the event, please visit isasurf.org.
The Irukandjis Para Surfing Team are proudly supported by Insurance Advisernet.