Saioa Huarte, an 18-year-old athlete from Hondarribia's HS2 club, claimed the Spanish parasurfing championship title this week in Gran Canaria. The surfer emerged victorious in the women's Stand 1 category, standing out among the leading figures in adaptive surfing.
Huarte began her journey in the sport of waves a decade ago, thanks to the Kind Surf initiative promoted by professional surfer Aritz Aranburu. She has since participated in events in locations such as Zarautz and Hossegor, and currently competes with the HS2 club and the Gipuzkoa Adapted Sports Federation, as well as collaborating on the Supérate project.
After participating in the Korkoiak Surf Jaia in 2022, she began competing in adaptive surfing alongside her coach Iñaki Navascués. Since then, she has achieved various accolades, including her runner-up position in 2024 at the Red Paddle event of the Pirineos SUP Festival.
Last year, an unexpected surgical intervention temporarily halted her sporting progress. Far from giving up, she traveled to Patos beach in Galicia during the European Championship to undergo the official medical classification by the International Surfing Association (ISA), which placed her in the Stand 1 class for surfers with upper limb disabilities.
Following her recovery and rigorous training, her focus was set on this championship in Gran Canaria, where she successfully reached the top of the podium. A decade of dedication and a promising future lie ahead for this young surfing talent.
