Cornish woman wins para surfing gold in California

A woman from Cornwall has become a world champion in para surfing.

Charlotte Banfield, 23, from Penryn, claimed the gold medal at the ISA World Para Surfing Championship in Huntington Beach, California, in the US.

The event was the biggest world championships to date, attracting 184 athletes from 27 countries.

Melissa Reid, from Porthtowan, also competed in the event - winning the silver medal in the visually impaired 2 category.

For Ms Reid, it was her fifth world championship medal.

Overall, Team England won a copper medal at the championship - its highest ever ranking.

Ms Banfield - who has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and autism - was initially scared of water, but a six-week surf therapy course she did with the Wave Project 10 years ago helped her build confidence.

She said she sometimes struggled to fit in at school, and said when her mother told her she had booked her onto a surf therapy course to help, she laughed initially.

Ms Banfield told BBC Radio Cornwall: "It changed my life, it gave me discipline, it gave me motivation, I knew that, if I got through the week at school, I'd be able to go to surf club."

Speaking on her win, she said: "When people say that I'm a world champion and gold medal winner, it still doesn't feel real, because it's something you dream about for many years, but you never expect to happen.

"When I was out there, it just felt like I was surfing with friends, and just enjoying it and trying my best, so the fact that this was the outcome is really amazing, but hard to believe."

Ms Banfield said she and her teammates all "bonded really well" while competing out in California.

"It was very communal, you know, being around the same people who have the same passion as me.

"We all celebrated the win together, and celebrated everyone's successes because they're just as important as mine."

The gold medallist praised her "support network", including the Wave Project and her family.

She said: "I'm diverse, I have a disability, I'm just a normal person who had a dream and, with the right support, made it happen.

"I think there's something out there for everyone that makes them smile when they wake up in the morning, and when you find that thing it's worth doing.

"For me, surfing is that thing that keeps me going and, if anyone finds that thing for them, I'm really happy for them.

"I think there's never really a barrier holding you back, and you can pretty much do whatever you put your mind to with the right support around you."

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