THIS year’s Welsh Adaptive Surfing Championships will not be held at Adventure Parc Snowdonia, as it has been in previous years, due to its wave machine not being in use.

Para surfer and event organiser Llywelyn Williams has had to move this year’s competition to The Wave, Bristol, with it taking place on August 18 and 19.

Llywelyn said re-arranging the plans for the event has proved “stressful”.

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He said: “It was originally meant to be held at Surf Snowdonia here in North Wales, as always, but sadly, the wave pool has broken.

“It was either cancel, and upset those who had booked travel plans already, or look for an alternative. 

“The beach wasn't the greatest idea, as normally at this time of year, we don't have the best swells, so The Wave was the only option.

“It has been stressful trying to make this happen with plans and funding, as The Wave is very expensive.”

A total of 30 competitors have signed up from different parts of the world for the competition, most of whom are from the UK.

Adventure Parc Snowdonia, a man-made lagoon on a former aluminium site in Dolgarrog, became the world's first inland venue to host an adaptive surfing championship event in 2019.

After a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, it returned to North Wales in 2022.

Llywelyn’s passion for the sport began when he started surfing at the age of 12 at Porth Ceiriad and Porth Neigwl, near his home in Abersoch.

But while skateboarding home during his teens, he was hit by a car and suffered life-threatening injuries, including dislocating both hips, a head injury, broken femur, shattered pelvis, and a punctured lung.

He became the first Welsh world surfing champion at the age of 27 last December.

Llywelyn added: “It's going to be a great event, with a live feed, guaranteed waves, and prize money. It will help push our sports to the Paralympics in 2028.

“This will be the second out of three stops on the Para Surf League European tour.”

Attempts were made to contact Adventure Parc Snowdonia for further comment.