OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA: (November 12, 2025): Australia has capped off an outstanding week at the ISA World Para Surfing Championships, claiming Team Copper and delivering a string of world-class performances across multiple divisions.
Leading the charge for The Irukandjis was Joel Taylor, who won GOLD, taking home his second World Title in the Prone 1 division. 2024 World Champion, and Queenslander Kai Colless secured a close SILVER, highlighted by what many called the wave of the event. In a remarkable showcase of Australian dominance, both athletes scored perfect 10-point rides in the final.
Colless opened fiercely, dropping an 8.5 and a 9 in the first seven minutes to put Taylor in a combination. Taylor responded with precision, riding just two waves — a 9.83 and a perfect 10 — to flip the heat and put Colless into a combo with ten minutes remaining. Colless launched a late charge, landing his own perfect 10 in the final minute after a priority change, but Taylor’s earlier scores held firm to secure the world title.
Joel Taylor opened up about his win, speaking about the final, his rivalry with Kai Colless, and what this year’s title means to him:
“Having a rival and teammate like Kai pushes me and my surfing to the next level. We have completely different styles and approaches, but we bring out the best in each other in competition. Our rivalry helps progress the sport to the next level, which is exactly what’s needed as we push for the inclusion of para surfing in the Paralympics for Brisbane 2032.”
“I felt relieved when I won my first world title, and it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. My second title feels like more of an accomplishment. I worked really hard all year, in the water and in the gym, to get the win. I thought the second would be different, but to claim the title — and the only individual gold medal for Australia — in solid waves, and in the way I did, makes it just as special as the first.”
In the Vision 1 division, Kirk Watson continued Australia’s medal run with a strong, composed performance to take SILVER.
Australia added two BRONZE medals through Emma Dieters in Women’s Kneel and Grace Kennedy in Women’s Prone 1, each showcasing consistency and competitive grit throughout the week.
Rounding out the tally, Cliff Gralton placed Copper in Prone 2, while Jack Jackson and Sarah Gibson each collected Copper in the Men’s and Women’s Vision Impaired 2 divisions, respectively.
In total, Australia finished the event with eight individual medals plus Team Copper — a testament to the depth, resilience, and competitive spirit of the Para Irukandjis team.
Having delivered one of the team’s defining performances, Kai Colless captured the emotion and intensity of the week, saying:
“I’ve loved surfing in the Adaptive Tour this year, but there’s something really special about surfing as part of the Australian Team and representing my country at the ISA Championships. Every team member surfed their hearts out this week in some tricky conditions, and we had every surfer on the beach cheering loud and proud, every single day.”
“I’m so stoked to have landed the wave of my life, and helped show the world what Para Surfers are capable of! It was wild coming in and seeing the whole beach erupting. Stoked I was able to do Australia proud and help the team come home with copper medals!”
Para Surfing has experienced incredible growth since the first ISA World Para Surfing Championship in 2015 (originally titled the World Adaptive Surfing Championship), and continues to grow. During that period, the ISA has continued to refine the Para Surfing Classification system in line with IPC requirements and encouraged its network of 116 member nations to host national and regional competitions.
Learn more about the ISA World Para Surfing Championships: HERE
2025 ISA World Para Surfing Championship – Team Irukandjis:
Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart – Para Surf Kneel
Toby Begg – Para Surf Kneel
Emma Dieters – Para Surf Kneel
Kai Colless – Para Surf Prone 1
Joel Taylor – Para Surf Prone 1
Grace Kennedy – Para Surf Prone 1
Cliff Gralton – Para Surf Prone 2
Jack Curphey – Para Surf Prone 2
Annie Goldsmith – Para Surf Prone 2
Kirk Watson – Para Surf VI 1
Steve Fox – Para Surf VI 1
Jack Jackson – Para Surf VI 2
Sarah Jane Gibson – Para Surf VI 2
