HONOLULU (KITV4) -- The opening ceremony took place Monday for the Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championship on Oahu.
Many of the world's top adaptive surfers, those with physical disabilities, will compete at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki through Saturday.
Providing accessible beach experiences, the event features more than a hundred athletes from 18 countries competing in 17 different divisions.
Adaptive surfer Davi Teixeira from Brazil told KITV4, "Surfing is for everyone, it's independent of your disability, independent of your circumstances, it's a great sport."
Nevada native Cassandra Eckroth said, "There is an event out there for everybody, no matter your ability they want to make sure you can get out there on the water, so they'll create that opportunity for you."
A variety of surfing styles will be showcased, along with women's and wounded warrior divisions.
Surfing is scheduled 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day of the competition.
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Growing up in the Midwest, Eric graduated from Chicago's Columbia College and began his broadcasting career as a news anchor-sports announcer at WSHW/WILO radio in Indiana. He later moved on to television and has devoted over a decade to working full-time at TV affiliates in several states across the country.
