Puerto Vallarta had its first session of Surfing Smiles

This Saturday, May 13th, at Camarones Beach, the Surfeando Sonrisas Association held its first parasurfing clinic in Puerto Vallarta, a sporting event for children and teenagers with disabilities.

Surfeando Sonrisas (Surfing Smiles) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of children and adults with disabilities through the practice of water sports, in this case, surfing.

Fifty-two people took part in the event, some of them practicing this activity for the first time, enjoying its physical and mental benefits.

This NPO was founded in 2018 by Daniel Gómez de la Vega, para-triathlete, para-surfing world champion and activist for the rights of people with disabilities.

The clinics were conducted by volunteers and organizers of the project, who were very excited to work with the participants, as it was the first time they held this event in Puerto Vallarta, although they had already done it in Banderas Bay.

The goals of these activities are to have a greater culture of inclusion and for the participants to receive all the benefits of surfing such as empowerment, tolerance, self-confidence, leadership, improved interpersonal relationships, inclusion and independence.

The participants came with their families, some of them eager to surf for the first time and practice a sport activity, smiling and excited, waiting their turn to be guided by the instructors and start having fun.

With reporting by Fernanda Bojórquez for Tribuna de la Bahía