Christiaan Bailey

Christiaan Bailey
Personal information
Born	March 31, 1981 (1981-03-31) (age 30) Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Residence	Santa Cruz, California / Costa Rica / Honokaa, Hawaii
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg)
Surfing career
Years active	1987 - present
Sponsors	Surftech Roush Creations, Hotline wetsuits, Volcom, Electric Sunglasses, Santa Cruz and Aloha Island
Major achievements	1st paraplegic to win the WSA Championships, 1st paraplegic to ride Mavericks, only paralyzed professional big wave surfer in the world.
Surfing specifications
Stance	Regular (natural) foot
Shaper(s)	Eric Roush (Surftech/Roush Creations)
Quiver	5'10" - 6'6"
Favorite waves	Hossegor (France), Steamer Lane (Santa Cruz), Safi (Morocco), Puerto Escondido (Mexico)
Website	surferhot100.loopd.com

Christiaan "Otter" Bailey (born March 31, 1981, Santa Cruz, CA, USA), is an American professional surfer, known for his experience as a surf safari guide and skill as a big wave surfer and skateboarder.

Bailey moved back to Santa Cruz, California in the fall of 2003. He was a professional surfer and skateboarder, spending his winter months in Central America (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador) as a back country surf guide and summers back in Santa Cruz. On July 23, 2006, during the filming of a skateboarding video at Derby skatepark in Santa Cruz, Bailey crashed on his skateboard, fracturing several vertebrae in his back (L3,L4,S3), damaging his spinal cord in the process, which left him paralyzed from the waist down as a result.

Since his injury, Bailey's sponsors (Surftech, Roush Creations, Hotline wetsuits, Volcom, Electric Sunglasses, Santa Cruz Skate Shop & Aloha Island) have continued to support him, giving him the opportunity to surf on tour. He participates in expression sessions on various legs of several different pro and semi-pro tours; including the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) WQS/WCT (World Qualifying Series & World Championship Tour) , WSA (Western Surfing Association) tour, NSSA (National Scholastic Surfing Association) tour and Volcom Crustaceous Series events.

Since his injury in July 2006, Bailey has surfed and chairskated in expression sessions during the O'neill Cold Water Classic (2006,07,08,09,10), US Open of Surfing(2007,08,09,10), Hurley Pro at Lowers WCT (2008,09,10) Reef Panama Classic (2007,08), Quicksilver Pro Hossegor(2008), NSSA National Championships (2007), WSA National Championships (2008,09,10) and the Volcom Crustacious Tour Series (2008). Bailey was the first paralyzed person to win the WSA National Championships (Trestles 2009), as well as the first paralyzed person to surf "Mavericks" (Half Moon Bay, California). In March 2010, Christiaan Bailey and Arron Fotheringham were selected by the IOC or International Olympic Committee to be a part of "Team Extreme" for the Vancouver Paralympic Opening Ceremonies, showcasing the new sport of chairskating at BC Place Stadium in front of 73,000 people. Bailey is currently one of only two professional "chairskater's", and currently remains the "only" paralyzed professional big wave surfer in the world.

Bailey is also active in many international NGO's and disability related non profit organizations. Including being CEO of the Ocean Healing Group, a non-profit (501c3) dedicated to providing once in a lifetime adaptive sports adventures in Costa Rica, to children who use wheelchairs and their parents. Bailey is an ambassador for the Life Rolls On foundation as well, a non-profit (501c3) that promotes active lifestyles for young people who have sustained spinal cord injuries.

External links

• Fuel Tv
• Transworld Profile
• Christiaan's Facebook page
• Life Rolls On
• Ocean Healing Group website
• Santa Cruz Sentinel
• American Chronicle
• American School of Paris World Wide Aspect

Persondata
Name	Bailey, Christiaan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 31, 1981
Place of birth	Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Date of death
Place of death