Amputee surfer takes bronze at world event
AN EAST London photographer who kept on surfing despite losing a leg in a motorbike accident has won a bronze medal at the World Adaptive Surfing Championships.
“My immediate thought was: ‘Will I ever surf again?’” J P Veaudry, 40, said yesterday.
“I mean, how can you surf when you’re missing a leg?”
Despite his initial doubts, after 28 years of surfing before his crash in May 2009, the lure of the ocean proved too strong.
Once he was fitted with a prosthetic leg, his first surf came five months after the accident.
He had been walking with the prosthetic for only one month at the time.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself when I went back into the water for the very first time,” Veaudry said
“I had no idea whether or not I’d be able to stand, but still invited a lot of people – friends and photographers – to [see] whether I’d be able to.”
Veaudry said by doing that he had no choice but to follow through and succeed in his dream of standing up to surf again.
“I was fortunate to stand up on my very first wave.”
Hooked again, he was soon surfing at every opportunity.
“I try to surf every day. It’s the best way to start your day and it motivates me for the rest of it.”
Fast forward six years and Veaudry came within a whisker of realising his dreams of winning the World Adaptive Surfing Championships in California last week with his third-place finish.
“Even though I am happy with this result, it’s a little frustrating.”
Although Veaudry had the best scores leading up to the final and even beat the surfer placed second overall in his semifinal, he had to settle for third in the end.
“I battled to find any decent waves in the final.”
Weighing in at over 90kg, he struggled to find decent score waves in the small surf.
Despite having no dreams of surfing in a world championship as a child, Veaudry hopes one day to win the world championships – and if he doesn’t, he’ll keep riding the waves anyway.
“The sea is my happy place, my church, if you will . . . it’s a place to get away from it all and meditate.”
He said losing his leg had taught him to consider others with their struggles and disabilities.
“Life can be short, so value what you have and don’t harp on what you lack.
“Appreciate every precious minute on this planet. Set goals for yourself and fulfil your dreams!”
He joked that his wife Gabriela and 15-month-old daughter Amelia were “thrilled to have me back, even though I think it was to change nappies”.
“We all have disabilities – mental, financial, marital. Mine happens to be physical.”