The evening of October 14th was a very special experience for wakesurfing legend and European champion Markus Lahmer and his friend and wheelchair user Florian Dungl.
Together, the two friends developed the "Cage", a device that enables people with particularly severe paraplegia to surf!
And that has already had worldwide echo, because Florian Dungl, as a cagesurfer, is the first surfing quadriplegic, together with Markus, in the media worldwide!
Markus Lahmer has been working in cooperation with the inclusion city of Vienna since 2021 to enable people with disabilities to surf - that is when the "Inclusive Wakesurfing" project at the Danube Marina was born!
With their groundbreaking idea and implementation, Markus and Florian are traveling around the world to share this know-how with people all over the world, most recently at City Swell in Kiev.
And yesterday evening this initiative was at the Österr. Sporthilfe Gala honored for its commitment to inclusive wakesurfing as an “athlete with a heart”!
“Just amazing—I never thought that we would have a chance next to such competitors. It is all the nicer to get this award, ”says Lahmer happily. Above all, the choice is a strong sign of inclusion - and a deserved appreciation for the athlete who has been doing everything for years to enable people with paraplegia to surf.
Leave a comment (all fields required)