Powys para surfer looking for backing to go to World Championship

Oliver Vaughan Jones originally from Llandyssil, is looking for sponsorship to take on the World Championships in Para Surfing after being called up for the British squad- after only competing for a few months.

“I started off with the English event this summer. I went in thinking it’s just going to be 3 or 4 people and it turned out to be 50 people from around the world,” said Mr Vaughan Jones. “I was like ‘what was going on here?’ and it turned out I had turned up to the English leg of the world tour. That was how it all started.”

He has had a quick rise in the sport getting a fifth in his debut and a runner up in France but is now looking for funding after getting called up to take part in World Championships in California as part of Team GB.

“I had this great news of being selected and getting to go out to California and unfortunately its in a position where it’s on the fence.”

To be able to compete would be a huge achievement for Mr Vaughan Jones who surfed and skied regularly before an illness in his 20s left him without the full use of his legs.

“I got ill very quickly. I was extremely unwell for about 10 years. I spent years stuck in bed, really sick. I’ve been in and out of hospitals and care homes locally,” said Mr Vaughan Jones.

“Around 4 years ago I was able to start travelling a bit with my wheelchair and getting a little bit better, trying to recapture the things I used to love doing before.”

“What happens when you get really unwell or a major life altering accident or disease, your quest is to try and get back to where you were before. Then all of a sudden you find that you’re better than you were before, so you enter a new phase. It’s a nice feeling that creeps up on you.”

He is now trying to get funding before the world championship in California in 3 weeks.

People in the para surfing community have helped him but he is struggling with booking the accommodation for the 10-day event also, paying to travel to training in Cornwall and a getting decent wetsuit.

To raise funds, he has set up a crowdfunding page but is also looking to get professional sponsorship.

“I’d love to set up a long-term relationship and if it was a local company I would love that as I am all about Wales. That would really make sense to me.”

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Para surfing is a rapidly professionalising sport with a world tour next year - with 9 destinations before a world final in California.

There is also the potential of it being added to the paralympic roster and has been categorised to fit the competition model of the event with different classes for different types of disability – from fully assisted to fully standing.

Mr Vaughn Williams is just hoping with a little help he will be able to take part.

“This would be a dream for me – to go from being stuck in my bed in a care home in Glyn Ceiriog to a few years later to being able to compete on a world circuit of surfing.”