Canada’s Victoria Feige became the winningest woman in parasurfing history on Saturday, winning gold at the 2022 Parasurfing World Championships for her fourth consecutive world title.
The 37-year-old Vancouverite stepped onto the podium in the women’s knee division at the International Surfing Association (ISA) event in Pismo Beach, Calif., becoming the most decorated female parasurfer of all time.
Feige has won every competition this year before the world championship, including the Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championships in June and the English Adaptive Surfing Open in July in Bristol, England. She has been surfing for Team Canada since 2016.
“An incredible feeling,” Feige wrote on Instagram after winning the historic gold medal in California.
She also credited Canadian National Surfing Team Head Coach Shannon Campbell Brown and fellow coach Albie Sears for helping her get to the top.
Ling Pai of Vancouver also stood on the podium on Saturday with a bronze medal in the visually impaired women’s category.
Feige is no stranger to historic firsts, as she is also the first clinical physical therapist in North America to use a wheelchair. She worked as a specialist physiotherapist for a decade after earning her master’s degree in 2012, but took a break to focus on para surfing.
While parasurfing won’t be at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, the ISA is pushing for the sport to make its debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, with a decision expected next month. Surfing for the able-bodied made its Olympic debut last year in Tokyo.
The future looks bright for parasurfing, as Saturday’s finals saw seven new world champions crowned.
“Seeing new generations of athletes fills my heart with happiness. Now let’s wait for the news. More than ever, I believe parasurfing has a place in the Paralympic Games,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre.
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