015 -Christiaan “Otter” Bailey - From Skateboarding Crash to Recovering Paraplegic, the Story of Professional Athlete Christiaan Bailey In this episode we have Christiaan "Otter” Bailey. Christiaan is an American professional surfer, known for his experience as a surf safari guide and skill as a big wave surfer and skateboarder. Bailey grew up in the Santa Cruz, California area and excelled as a semi-pro surfer and skateboarder. He was a professional surfer and skateboarder, who spent much of his time in Central America and west Africa as a back-country surf guide. On July 23, 2006, during the filming of a skateboarding video at Derby skatepark in Santa Cruz, Bailey crashed on his skateboard, fracturing several vertebrae in his back (L3, L4, S3), damaging his spinal cord in the process, which left him paralyzed from the waist down as a result. Since his injury, Christiaan Bailey adapted. He is still a pro and his sponsors have continued to support him. He went on to become has Captain of USA Surfing, is a two time USA National Champion (2009,2017), 5 time ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship medalist (2015-Silver, 2016-Silver & Team Silver, 2017 Silver & Team Bronze). He has surfed in expression sessions during the O'Neill Coldwater Classic , US Open of Surfing, Hurley Pro at Lowers WCT, Reef Panama Classic, Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, Globe WCT Fiji, Quicksilver Pro Hossegor, NSSA National Championships, WSA National Championships, and the Volcom Crustacious Tour Series. Bailey was the first paralyzed person to win the WSA Surfing Championships, as well as the first paralyzed person to surf "Mavericks" (Half Moon Bay, California). In March 2010, Christiaan Bailey and Aaron Fotheringham were selected by the IPC or International Paralympic Committee to be a part of "Team Extreme" for the Vancouver Paralympic Opening Ceremonies, showcasing the new sport of chairskating at BC Place Stadium in front of 73,000 people. Bailey is currently one of only two professional "chairskaters", and currently remains the only paralyzed professional big wave surfer in the world. He is also active in many international NGO's and disability related non profit organizations. Including being CEO of the Ocean Healing Group, a non-profit (501c3) dedicated to providing once in a lifetime adaptive sports adventures in Costa Rica, to children who use wheelchairs and their parents. Bailey is an ambassador for the Life Rolls On foundation as well, a non-profit (501c3) that promotes active lifestyles for young people who have sustained spinal cord injuries. Is a coach at Ability First Wheelchair Sports Camp Find Christiaan Bailey on Facebook at, https://www.facebook.com/ChristiaanOtterBailey/ Find more about the Ocean Healing Group at, http://www.oceanhealinggroup.org Find more about Box Wheel Chairs at, https://www.boxwheelchairs.com/christiaan-otter-bailey Follow Christiaan Bailey on Instagram at, https://www.instagram.com/Insta_otter/ More about Christiaan Bailey on Wiki and on New Mobility at, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiaan_Baileyhttp://www.newmobility.com/2018/02/christiaan-otter-bailey/ This podcast is brought to you by Living Adaptive with Scott Davidson. Go to www.livingadaptive.com for further information. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/living_adaptive/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingadaptive/
