A full day of Finals saw 12 World Champions crowned in pumping four-to-six-foot swell at the north side of Oceanside pier for the conclusion of the 2025 ISA World Para Surfing Championship (WSPC).

France became the first team to win three consecutive team gold medals, equalling USA’s overall total in the process. A total of 12 medals provided France with their most decisive victory yet. Five gold medals were joined by two silver, two bronze and three copper. USA had to settle for silver for the third year running, with Brazil returning to the podium for bronze, and Australia taking copper.

Australian Teammates Joel Taylor and Kai Colless Deliver Battle For the Ages

Since the arrival of Joel Taylor (AUS) and Kai Colless (AUS) in 2023, the teammates have primarily battled each other for victory in the hotly contested men’s Prone 1 division. This year proved no different, as the pair once again claimed the gold and silver medals, finishing ahead of six-time World Champion and para surfing’s GOAT, Bruno Hansen (DEN), who returned to competition for the first time since the Australians’ rise. Both Taylor and Colless delivered historic performances, each earning Perfect 10-point rides. In the end, it was Taylor, the 45-year-old former professional bodyboarder, who reclaimed the crown he first won in 2023.

“So stoked to win another World Title and just stoked to have a rival like Kai [Colless] that’s able to push me and push the sport to the next level,” Taylor said. “The word inspiration gets thrown around a lot in society and you look around on the beach here today and it is truly inspirational what these surfers are able to do. We want to showcase that to the world in the Paralympics and our next best bet is at home, in Australia, in Brisbane. Hopefully we can do it. I’ll be 52-years-old but I’m going to be doing everything I can to be there and represent my country on the bigger stage.”

Taylor and Colless earned their perfect 10s in very different ways. For Taylor, it came through pure technique, drawing impeccable lines on a long left that featured a flowing carve and multiple critical turns down the line. Having already scored a 9.83 for a similar ride, Taylor’s 19.83 heat total ranks as the second-highest ever recorded at the WPSC, with Colless’ 19.50 the third.

Colless opened the Final with an 8.50 and backed it up almost immediately with a 9.50. It was all spectacle for the 18-year-old’s perfect wave that closed the heat, however. Undoubtedly the best wave in WPSC history, Colless delivered two huge vertical hits, the first of which saw him free-falling out of a massive section.

“I had some good scores, and then Joel [Taylor] had me comboed with like 14 minutes left, so I just thought I may as well look around and find one good wave,” Colless said. “I just happened to find that one in the last minute. I literally don’t even really know what happened, to be honest. Like, I hit it and I fell so high up and landed, and then I saw another section and hit that one. But yeah, it was pretty crazy.”

Joining Taylor in claiming their second World Titles were Sarah Almagro (ESP), Pierrot Gagliano (FRA), Luciano Nem Silveira (BRA), and Guillaume Colin (FRA).

Colin took the men’s Sit win in a Final that was decided by the narrowest of margins, with only 0.20 separating the gold medal from the bronze. The 41-year-old successfully defended his World Title, edging past two-time World Champion Jeff Munson (USA), who led for most of the heat. Chris Oberle (USA) took bronze after a near buzzer-beater, and Juan Manuel Camacho Solano (CRC) claimed the copper.

Victoria Feige (CAN) Equals Para Surfing Record With Sixth World Title

Four competitors further added to their growing gold medal counts. Llywelyn ‘Sponge’ Williams (WAL), Davi Teixeira (BRA), and Alelí Medina (PUR) were each crowned World Champion for the fourth time, while Victoria Feige (CAN) claimed her sixth.

Feige now stands in rare air, having equalled the six gold medals of Bruno Hansen (DEN), the previous record-holder. Despite battling cancer for the past three years, the 40-year-old Canadian rose to victory against the largest field her classification has seen to date, continuing to elevate her performance year-on-year.

“It doesn’t really seem real, I’m honored.” Feige said. “It’s been such a wild ride. My first ISA was 2016. I saw Mono [Mark Stewart] ripping and it really inspired me to try to get better. And yeah, I’m just trying to keep up with the boys. It’s been such a fun contest.”

After fielding a strong challenge from fellow three-time World Champion Melissa Reid (ENG) throughout the event, Medina claimed her fourth consecutive World Title in dominant fashion. An excellent 8.00 ride was followed by the event’s first Perfect 10, leaving the other women’s Visual Impairment (VI) 2 finalists in need of a combination of two waves to defeat her. Reid came closest to breaking the combination with a massive pier bowl right earning a 7.83, but it was the 16-year-old Puerto Rican who broke their World Title tie.

“I’m holding back tears right now, I’m so happy,” Medina said. “I couldn’t have done it without my dad, without my mom, everybody in Puerto Rico, all my sponsors, and everybody. [That wave] looked really good, from what I can see, and I just gave it my all. All the training I put into this, it’s finally paying off. These past four years have been really intense, just going day to day, training every single day, really hard, physically exhausted, and this is what I’ve been looking for.”

First-Ever World Titles for Davi Lima (BRA), Thomas Da Silva (FRA), and Kenjiro Ito (JPN)

Davi Lima (BRA), Kenjiro Ito (JPN), and Thomas Da Silva (FRA) each claimed their first World Championship gold medals. In his event debut, 15-year-old Lima went straight to the top of the podium, while a last-minute buzzer-beater in the final heat of the event saw Ito finally break through. The 48-year-old, who has featured in eight of the ten WPSC events and was appearing in his fifth Stand 2 Final, secured a long-awaited and emotional first win.

For three years running, Thomas Da Silva (FRA) has won the silver medal in men’s VI 1. This year, Da Silva finally claimed his first World Title, defeating two of the surfers he previously placed runner-up to in the Final, Kirk Watson (AUS) and Elias ‘Figue’ Dial (BRA). Despite being completely blind, Da Silva was able to charge the open face and carve through multiple turns throughout the event, including in today’s Final. The 24-year-old was ecstatic to finally claim victory.

“I’m so happy, I was full gas when I was paddling, so it was a really good heat,” Da Silva said. “It wasn’t easy, it was easier yesterday, but today was the final day. So it was full gas, full gas, full gas. I work every day on my surfing, my physical preparation in Martinique, in Basque Country, actually everywhere in the world with my friends. Thanks to my friends and thanks to all the people who support me and who coach with me.”

ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:

“What we saw this week in Oceanside was truly special. The level of surfing, the camaraderie, the joy, it was incredible. This is the United Nations of para surfing, and it fills my heart every year. For ten years we have been building this movement together. The athletes keep pushing the sport to new heights, and the world is watching.

“We are more committed than ever to the growth and development of para surfing and we are so excited for the sport’s future. Our dream of joining the Paralympic Games is alive and strong. We are looking towards Brisbane 2032 with hope and determination. I want to congratulate every athlete. A few go home with medals, but all of you are champions, because you are here representing your countries. Long live para surfing.”

RESULTS

Team
Gold – France
Silver – USA
Bronze – Brazil
Copper – Australia
5- Italie
7- England
11- Israel
15- Spain - Germany - Portugal
20- Wales
21- Denmark

Men’s Sit
Gold – Guillaume Colin (FRA)
Silver – Jeff Munson (USA)
Bronze – Chris Oberle (USA)
Copper – Juan Manuel Camacho Solano (CRC)

Men’s VI 1
Gold – Thomas Da Silva (FRA)
Silver – Kirk Watson (AUS)
Bronze – Ben Neumann (GER)
Copper – Elias ‘Figue’ Diel (BRA)

Men’s VI 2
Gold – Pierrot Gagliano (FRA)
Silver – Luis Nicolas Medina (CHI)
Bronze – Roy Calderon (CRC)
Copper – Jack Jackson (AUS)

Women’s VI 2
Gold – Alelí Medina (PUR)
Silver – Melissa Reid (ENG)
Bronze – Ling Pai (CAN)
Copper – Sarah Gibson (AUS)

Open Stand 3
Gold – Luciano Nem Silveira (BRA)
Silver – Eric Dargent (FRA)
Bronze – Naomichi Katsukura (JPN)
Copper – Stella Papetti (ITA)

Men’s Prone 2
Gold – Davi Teixeira (BRA)
Silver – Jose Martinez (USA)
Bronze – Mathius Vanderhoogth (CRC)
Copper – Cliff Gralton (AUS)

Women’s Prone 2
Gold – Sarah Almagro (ESP)
Silver – Beatrice Duran (FRA)
Bronze – Celine Roulliard (FRA)
Copper – Hannah Dines (ENG)

Men’s Prone 1
Gold – Joel Taylor (AUS)
Silver – Kai Colless (AUS)
Bronze – Cleuson Soares (BRA)
Copper – Bruno Hansen (DEN)

Men’s Kneel
Gold – Llywelyn ‘Sponge’ Williams (WAL)
Silver – Dijackson Santos (BRA)
Bronze – Juan Martín Díaz Martínez (MEX)
Copper – Maxime Cabanne (FRA)

Women’s Kneel
Gold – Victoria Feige (CAN)
Silver – Vera Quaresma (BRA)
Bronze – Emma Dieters (AUS)
Copper – Emmanuelle Blanchet (FRA)

Men’s Stand 1
Gold – Davi Lima (BRA)
Silver – Ant Smyth (RSA)
Bronze – Suguru Nara (JPN)
Copper – Camilo Abdula (POR)

Men’s Stand 2
Gold – Kenjiro Ito (JPN)
Silver – Morgan Galeffi (ITA)
Bronze – Nachman Yariv Balulu (ISR)
Copper – JP Veaudry (RSA)