Rage On with Dean McSporran – Dean is one of Australia’s Top Adaptive SUP Surfers, currently ranked No. 5 in the World.
Dean competes at adaptive surfing competitions throughout Australia and the world. Dean also competes on a regular basis in able bodied competitions up and down the east coast of Australia. Dean lost part of his left arm 11 years ago in a work place accident. He has always been a keen surfer and with his love of the ocean and waves needed to get back into the water as part of his rehabilitation. He use to ride short boards and a mini mal before his accident and tried getting back on the boards but found it hard to paddle and get to his feet quickly. He tried using bigger boards and even designed a prosthetic arm to help him paddle but found it restrictive. Just to get out in the waves he brought a bogie board but that just didn’t cut it either.
Dean’s wife suggested he give Stand Up Paddle Boarding a go.With the aid of an attachment that connected to his prosthetic arm, he was paddling on flat water in no time then quickly progressed into the surf. For the past 3 years Dean has been campaigning for SUP to be added to the Adaptive movement that was created 6 years ago but it never involved SUP as a division. As there was no division for SUP Dean surfed in a mixed division with other adaptive surfers.
In September of 2019 at Ocean Side California, the board and directors of the ISA asked Dean and other adaptive SUP surfers to surf in an exhibition of Adaptive SUP surfing with the view of including it in future world titles. From this, Adaptive SUP Surfing is now its own division allowing dean to compete against other Adaptive SUP surfers, including Arm & Leg amputees.
Achievements
2016/2017 – 1st – Australian Adaptive titles
2017 – 4th mixed division – Hawaiian adaptive titles
2018 – 2nd – Australian Adaptive titles
2018 – 4th – Tradie masters Sydney Able bodied
2018/19 – 3rd SUP division – Club Mal nutrition point score Able bodied
3rd mixed division – 2019 Hawaiian adaptive titles
