Canadian Para surfer Victoria Feige extends record with 5th straight world title

Canadian Para surfer Victoria Feige continued her reign of dominance by winning her fifth straight world title on Saturday, extending her record for most gold medals at the sport's premier event.

The 38-year-old Vancouver native topped the podium in the women's kneel division after earning 7.93 points in the final, besting Brazil's Vera Quaresma (6.23), Spain's Audrey Pascual (6.13) and France's Emmunelle Blanchet (5.17).

The top-ranked Feige, who relocated to Hawaii in 2021, is the winningest woman in Para surfing history. Her 2023 season also includes gold medals at the Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championships and the Costa Rica Open Pro of Adaptive Surfing.

The eighth edition of the world championships also featured fellow Vancouverite Ling Pai, who took home a copper medal with a fourth-place finish in a women's visually impaired division.

Para surfing is currently not part of the Paralympic program, but the International Surfing Association (ISA) is pushing for the sport to make its debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

"What a week Huntington Beach has served for us, incredible, unforgettable. Of course in the back of all our minds is the hope, it might happen, that the L.A. 2028 Paralympic Games will finally include Para surfing," ISA president Fernando Aguerre said in a release.