Name: Justine Barker
From: Scotland
Local spot: Pease Bay
Favourite wave: The Wave, Bristol
Results in competitions:
2nd Open Prone English Para Surfing Open 2024, 2nd Adaptive Kneel Welsh Adaptive Open 2023, 3rd Adaptive Kneel, English Para Surfing Open 2023
My contribution to Scottish Surfing:
I’m Justine from Prestonpans, I have a background in swimming, water sports and board sports but only took up surfing in March 2022 when a friend of mine told me about Groundswell and their surfing therapy. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2019 which nearly killed me. I am on a monthly IV treatment called infliximab to control my immune system as it turns out my white cells try to kill me without it!!! In January of 2022 I was given another crushing diagnosis that I have a rare type of degenerative arthritis called Axial Spondyloarthritis which has started to fuse my spine, pelvis and various other peripheral joints too. I was told I couldn’t do impact sports as I risk breaking my back.
I was very very depressed as exercise was my go to medicine. I have always been fit and active.
My first session in the sea with groundswell I was terrified I would drown due to reduced mobility.
I got in the surf, which was fairly messy that day, and the water barely got over my ankles and the lure of the waves took over and that was me hooked. I jumped right onto a board and onto my knees.
I decided three months later to go down to The Wave in Bristol to the English Adaptive Open to meet other adaptive surfers, having only surfed for a few months, and got schooled by the advanced barrel setting LOL but the main thing was I had met other like-minded people…. I had found my tribe. I scored so low I barely had a point at that comp, but I made up for it by training hard and the year after I won a silver for Adaptive Kneel at the Welsh Open and a bronze at the English Open down in north Devon.
This year the English Open was back in the wave pool in Bristol and I made the decision around January that my body cannot really kneel anymore so I’ve gone to the unassisted prone category as I surf for joy, not to hurt myself.
I was pleasantly surprised to walk away with a silver this year at the English Open. I am not disappointed with my performance in the short two and a bit years I’ve been surfing, and I am no longer depressed. Life is awesome despite my challenges.
My favourite local spot is definitely Pease Bay. There’s something magical about the whole place like it’s steeped in ancient lore. I’ve also surfed there with seals and even had dolphins leap alarmingly close to me.
I can’t wait for the progress the Lost Shore being available for training is going to give to Scottish surfing, there are so many strong groms coming up at the moment, and it is ultra-safe for people with reduced mobility there so hopefully it will help Scotlands Parasurf team to become larger and stronger.
My favourite wave has to be the wave I scored a personal best at last month, down in Bristol, at the wave pool. I was so stoked that entire competition just to be there.
