Wing foiling with a disability: A profile of inclusion advocate Frances Rivera
Thomas Pfannkuch
· 12.10.2026
It’s a glorious morning on Cabarete beach. The wind is already picking up, and the first wingfoilers are cutting through the turquoise waters of the Dominican Republic. Right in the thick of it: Frances Rivera. Anyone watching her will see a technically skilled athlete who handles her wing with ease. It is only on closer inspection that it becomes clear that Frances’ journey to foiling was anything but ordinary.
An island girl with the ocean in her blood
“I’m an island girl,” says the 38-year-old with a smile. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, the ocean was never just a backdrop for her, but a way of life. Her exceptional sporting talent became apparent at an early age. By the age of twelve, she was already one of the fastest swimmers in her age group and was competing internationally for her home country. “I’ve been involved in water sports since I was young,” she recalls. Alongside competitive swimming, surfing, boogie boarding and free diving were part of her everyday life. In mid-2007, she then took up kitesurfing.
This deep-rooted connection to the water would later prove to be vital. A serious accident in January 2011 resulted in the loss of her left lower leg – a turning point that required not only physical but, above all, mental strength. Frances is a veteran of the US Army, and her journey back to sport was characterised by what she calls ‘stubbornness’ – sheer tenacity.
The fight against the ‘downward spiral’
The transition from life as an able-bodied athlete to that of an amputee athlete was a mental feat. Frances speaks openly about the dark times. “I learnt to adapt after getting a taste of what the endless spiral of depression is like,” she reflects. She realised that the only alternative to sadness was to get active, try new things and rise to the challenge, “even if you fail at first.”
It is remarkable that she was back kitesurfing as early as May 2011, after being fitted with a prosthetic leg. Her strength, stamina and performance levels had declined dramatically. But she had such a great passion and love for kitesurfing that she would rather endure unbearable pain than give up. The struggle with her own ego was particularly painful for her. “Knowing that I used to be able to do something easily and that it’s now suddenly extremely difficult really hurt my soul,” she admits.
“No matter how many times you fall, at the end of the day you’re out in nature, out on the ocean, and that alone is a victory!”
Today, she has transformed that mindset. Patience and countless repetitions are now her tools. For Frances, water sports are more than just physical exercise: “It’s a brilliant place for everyone – no matter how often you fall over, at the end of the day you’re out in nature, on the ocean, and that in itself is a victory.”
Frances currently lives in Miami and works as a sales representative for various windsurfing and watersports brands. In Cabarete, she takes part in the annual event held in June Cabarete Wing Festivals, a five-day ‘Ocean Festival’ that brings together sport, lifestyle and a global community. She has been appearing there as an inclusion ambassador since the festival’s first year and has witnessed how the event has grown; in 2026, it will form part of the Surf Foil World Tour (SFT) was.
When balance becomes a guessing game
In 2024, Frances took up wing foiling, and she still faces very specific challenges to this day. “The biggest challenges for me, as a lower-leg amputee, are finding the right pressure and the right balance,” she explains. Whilst able-bodied athletes receive constant feedback on the pressure on the board via the nerve pathways in their feet and ankles, Frances has to painstakingly recreate this sensation.
“Foiling really gave me a hard time for ages.”
As she lacks sensory feedback from her left foot, she has to rely on visual cues and the proprioception of her hip and knee joints. “It simply means it takes me a bit longer to master a skill. As a water sports enthusiast, I love it. It’s absolutely worth it,” she says with the composure of a woman who has learnt that time is relative. She humorously describes foiling itself as a tough teacher: “Foiling gave me a proper thrashing for a long time.” But her tenacity is paying off. These days, you can see her on her foil in almost all wind and wave conditions.
Her equipment is highly specialised. Her prostheses are often custom-made or modified. She uses special components that are resistant to the corrosive effects of salt water. In addition, wedges are often used to adjust the stance angle on the board so that the hips and knees are not subjected to excessive strain.
A mission for inclusion
Frances’s commitment is not limited to her own achievements. For many years, she has been working closely with wounded war veterans. She organises events to help people with a wide range of physical disabilities get back into sport. “Over the years, this has resulted in around 20 to 30 kitesurfers and wing surfers,” she reports proudly. Even though the numbers may seem small compared to mainstream sport, every single one of these athletes is proof of the power of rehabilitation through the ocean.
She is convinced that the water sports community is undergoing a transformation. “Ten years ago, there were perhaps only a few people with disabilities who went kitesurfing or wingfoiling; today, you see more and more of them internationally,” she observes. Frances sees herself as a pioneer in raising awareness. Her motto is: “Visibility sparks curiosity.” The more people with disabilities are seen on the water, the more the feeling of “I can do that too” takes root in the minds of others.
The vision: Paralympic wing foiling
Frances has a dream that extends far beyond the beaches of Cabarete. She would like to see an official category for athletes with physical disabilities. “It would be fantastic to see a separate category for people with disabilities, for example in wingfoil races. That would be a dream,” she says.
She recalls an initiative a few years ago that sought to establish a Paralympic programme for kiteboarders. Frances was even selected for the US team at the time. But the project came to nothing. Today, she hopes that the boom in wingfoiling will offer a new opportunity. “It would be incredible if the various organisations were to develop a Paralympic class,” she urges. For Frances, it’s not just about medals, but about professional recognition of the achievements of para-athletes.
“Do not be afraid of the unknown”
When Frances Rivera is asked for advice for other people with disabilities, her answer is surprisingly direct: “My most important piece of advice is: be stubborn!” In a world that often appears accessible but constantly erects new barriers for people with disabilities, this stubbornness is her strongest weapon. “Just keep trying until it works and makes sense. Go at your own pace. This is your journey; you don’t have to compare yourself to anyone else.”
Her journey shows that water sports have the power to transform lives. From her period of depression following her amputation to becoming a sought-after brand ambassador, regional sales manager for South America at Eleveight and a professional athlete, it was the wind and the water that changed her life. For Frances, the ocean is a place of healing and success. “Don’t be afraid of the unknown,” is her closing message. “Embrace the process wholeheartedly and keep an open mind. It will definitely change your life.”
Frances Rivera is more than just an athlete with a disability. She is a ‘true waterwoman’, whose story reminds us all why we love this sport: for the freedom it offers us and the challenges that help us grow. She represents a generation of athletes for whom barriers are simply there to be overcome with technical finesse and a healthy dose of determination.
When you watch Frances wing foiling in Cabarete Bay, one thing becomes clear: she truly embraces the freedom this sport offers. She proves that you don’t need two legs to fly over the water – but, above all, a heart that’s determined enough never to give up.