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Surfing is one of the most thrilling sports out there. And it has become increasingly accessible to people with disabilities, thanks to the perseverance and public feats of athletes like Pegleg Bennett. The 55-year-old surfer has become a beacon of para surfing, serving both as a trailblazer for his local community of Cornwall, England, and a teacher for all of those who hope to experience this sport regardless of their disabilities.
Bennett was born without an ankle on his left leg, causing his foot to be amputated when he was only 13 months old. Despite this experience which could be seen as a setback, his fearless spirit rose to the surface from a young age. After mastering swimming, he learned how to surf when he was 17 with the help of a prosthetic leg given to him by the UK's National Health Service—he later altered it by drilling holes to improve his performance. “I didn't want to be sat on the beach, I wanted to be involved,” Bennett told the BBC.
Fast forward four decades, and Bennett is now a professional surfer with custom carbon fiber and titanium prosthetics that allow him to move effortlessly on the board. “I get asked a fair bit as an amputee surfer about how I handle balance,” he shared on Instagram. “For me 95% of balance is through my back leg. These foot positioning moves happen in seconds and I don't actually consciously think about them anymore and they just happen.”
Born Rick Bennet, the surfer had been known as “Pegleg” since he was a kid, prompting him to adopt it as his legal name in 2016. The moniker has also inspired the name of his surfing school, Peg's Surf Coaching, which operates out of the beaches of Cornwall. A qualified surf coach and instructor, he aims to share his love for surfing with people of all ages. His website explains: “As an amputee surfer himself, competing and coaching internationally, Peg maintains a ‘can-do' attitude in his approach to coaching whether that relates to your inexperience, fears, disabilities, confidence or anything else that may hold you back.”
Bennett has also competed internationally, with one of the highlights being the 2021 AmpSurf ISA World Para Surfing Championships, where he represented his native England and helped them secure 7th place. He also appeared on the British version of Survivor in 2023, coming in fifth place and earning him the admiration of millions who learned his story on the reality competition show.
Whether coaching or racing, one thing seems clear—there's no stopping Bennett if he's set on achieving something. “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,” Bennett says. “I just want to keep surfing forever.”
To stay up to date with this intrepid surfer, follow Pegleg Bennett on Instagram.
Pegleg Bennett, a professional surfer with a prosthetic leg, has become a beacon of para surfing for his local community of Cornwall, England.
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Bennett was born without an ankle on his left leg, causing his foot to be amputated when he was only 13 months old.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
After mastering swimming, he learned how to surf when he was 17 with the help of a prosthetic leg given to him by the UK's National Health Service.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
“I didn't want to be sat on the beach, I wanted to be involved,” Bennett says.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Fast forward four decades, and Bennett is now a professional surfer who has competed internationally and a qualified coach ready to share his knowledge with people of all abilities and ages.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Pegleg Bennett: Website | Instagram
Sources: ‘Nothing stops me,' says surfer with one leg; Pegleg Bennett on Instagram; Meet the Team at Peg's Surf Coaching
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