"Still Gonna Send It": From Pro Snowboarder to Adaptive Surfing World Tour

Chris Waker was one of those guys I heard legends about before we finally met. A lot of my friend group from college had grown up with him in Vermont and his name frequently popped up. As a professional snowboarder, he was a hammer on the mountain--whether in the park, pipe, or backcountry--and a great homie overall regardless of the setting. 

By the time we finally met and became friends in 2021, Waker suffered a tragic accident while snowboarding that left him without movement or sensation throughout 80% of his body. As we met he was learning to adapt to life as a quadriplegic and surfing was something that was on his radar. 

At that time I already had some experience with adaptive surfing thanks to Sean Brody, former para surfing coach of Team USA, and volunteering at various clinics organized throughout San Diego and LA. We made plans to surf without any specific timeline, just a shared understanding that future sessions were in order. 

From that very first meeting, Waker left an impression. Although he was going through one of the hardest things that could happen, he radiated optimism and positivity. His smile beamed as we talked about surfing and he was genuinely excited to get in the water in due time. 

Thanks to the High Fives Foundation, Waker was re-introduced to surfing in Santa Cruz at one of their surf clinics that hosted over a dozen adaptive athletes. To put it simply, the hook was set and the stoke was real. 

Even with determination and support, the journey was no doubt terrifying–a wipeout could leave him face-down and without air until someone could reach him. Each session was a massive learning experience in survival and adaptation. With time, his equipment got dialed in and the fear started to ease, each session was no longer about survival–it was about shredding and progressing. 

Fast forward to today and Waker has surfed and competed in both Hawaii and Australia as well as near home in Oceanside for the US Open of Adaptive Surfing. We have surfed together several times up and down the coast and each time I’m blown away by how much he has progressed with reading waves and drawing lines.

In recent years Waker has also become a motivational speaker and he lives by the expression that, no matter what happens, he’s, “Still gonna send it!” Surfing with him and the adaptive community has been a huge blessing and together we share the story in hopes that it can help others get involved.

Can you tell us about your early days and being a professional snowboarder?

I grew up in Vermont and went to Stratton Mountain School, a winter sports academy where I basically dedicated my entire life to snowboarding. I started competing on the professional circuit at 17 and got to travel the world chasing snow and progression. I was able to obtain top 10 results on the World Cup circuit and Dew Tour events, and even represented the US at snowboard world championships in 2009. I’ve always loved board sports in every form… skateboarding as a kid, and then I fell in love with surfing in my late teens. Being from Vermont, surfing was a mission. We’d make 3-hour drives to Hampton Beach in New Hampshire, and sometimes Long Island or Jersey when we really wanted waves.

Eventually my competitive snowboarding career slowed down. I was riding halfpipe and slopestyle, and when I didn’t make the 2010 Olympic team, I shifted gears and became a coach. I moved to Colorado, started coaching with my former coach Ian Kirk, and managed a squad of international athletes. In 2019 I was awarded U.S. Ski & Snowboard Coach of the Year, which was surreal. I’d gone from athlete to mentor, and I loved it just as much. It was just as rewarding, watching my athletes progress and obtain their goals.

How did you become a quadriplegic?

A year and a half later, at Copper Mountain, I was exiting the terrain park behind one of my athletes.  I was bombing back down to the lift when I unexpectedly caught my toe edge and dove straight into the ground. I instantly became a quadriplegic — no movement or sensation through about 80% of my body. It was the most terrifying moment of my life.

 I was flown to Denver for two neck surgeries and then transferred to Craig Hospital, where I spent three months learning how to exist. From the basics of just learning to regulate my bowel and bladder, two feeding myself,to learning how to push a wheelchair, etc. I basically had to relearn how to live again. When I was discharged, I moved to San Diego to be near the beach and to rebuild a new life around the people and environment that gave me energy.

What was it like learning to surf again after your injury?

    Learning to surf after my injury was a trip. Most of the things I used to do without thinking suddenly felt terrifying. But the moment I got back in the ocean, I felt alive again, and I knew instantly that surfing was something I wanted to pursue.

    During my first handful of sessions I caught a long right that carried me way down the beach. I fell off, landed face-down, and couldn’t flip over. I had to wait until the person who pushed me into the wave swam all the way back. Time slowed down and I went into this dreamy, meditative state… which was both terrifying and surprisingly relaxing. It taught me quickly that I had to become more efficient in the water… not just for performance, but for survival.

    Surfing takes a lot of logistics for me. Getting into a wetsuit takes multiple people. I always need someone to push me into waves, and having spotters on the inside helps with confidence. Relying on others was never my strong suit, but having people show up; whether lifelong friends or someone I met at a coffee shop; has been one of the biggest gifts of my life. I’ve also been incredibly grateful for organizations like Waves4All and the High Fives Foundation for making access possible and helping fund adaptive sports equipment (which ain’t cheap).

Now you’re competing again, how’s it been to be in the mix with adaptive surfing events?

Competition has been such a fun chapter. I first got introduced to the adaptive surf world at the U.S. Open in Oceanside not long after I moved to San Diego. Over 110 adaptive athletes showed up from all over the world — amputees, visually impaired, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, you name it. Watching people in a similar situation as myself and watching them rip! That was the biggest motivator. It is also one of the most supportive communities I have ever been a part of. 

It took me a few years to build the confidence to enter a contest. I remember telling myself “This is just for fun, no pressure.” But once I put a jersey on, the competitor in me woke right back up and I wanted to win (laughs). This past season, my second year on the ASP adaptive world tour and after missing finals multiple times by fractions of a point, I finally made the podium at the U.S. Open Adaptive Surfing Championships in Oceanside,CA. That progression meant a lot.

 But it’s so much more than the results. Adaptive surfing took me to Australia this year… the biggest international trip I’ve made since my injury, and that alone felt like a victory. The community, the travel, the culture, the progression got me hooked!

Did you know much about adaptive sports before you got involved? What can you share about the adaptive movement?

Before my injury I had almost no exposure to adaptive sports. I didn’t know it existed at the level it does. I also didn’t know many people with disabilities growing up. Now that I’m part of this community, I wish I’d been more aware and involved earlier.

 If anyone ever gets the chance to watch or volunteer at an adaptive event, they’ll understand instantly–the vibes are unrivaled. Everyone’s frothing, cheering, pushing each other. Adaptive athletes are insanely creative… we modify equipment, technique, and strategy to suit bodies that don’t follow the “norm”. It’s progression in the purest form. Working on adapting surfboards has been super fun as I have been very knowledgeable about snowboard dimensions, side-cuts, cambers, etc. and it’s been fun to nerd out and learn more about the surf science.

Anything else you’d like to share?

 For anyone with a disability thinking about getting in the water: do it. It’s scary, sometimes it feels impossible… but once you catch a wave, you feel alive. I’m insanely grateful for my friends, old ones from childhood and new ones from this community, who help me get back in the ocean. Whether it’s piggybacking me down stairs, pushing me into waves, or just being in the water and spotting, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without them.

People assume being paralyzed means you stop sending it. For me, it just means “sending it” looks different now. The drive, the passion, the curiosity are still the same. I’m still going to send it..