Aitor Francesena, 47, is a legend in the Basque Country surfing scene in northern Spain where he runs the first surf school in the country and trains some of the best elite surfers.

Born with a degenerative eye disease, Francesena lost the vision in his right eye at the age of fourteen. In 2011, after a corneal transplant, he suffered an accident surfing that left him completely blind. 

Since then, Francesena hasn't skipped a beat. He is still surfing and still coaching the country's youth as they climb the ranks of the national circuit and beyond. 

''The method of teaching being blind is different than when I saw it, when I saw it, I took them out of the water with every failure they made and gave them a feedback. Now I try to teach everything so that tomorrow they can be coaches and they do their own self-analysis,'' explains Francesena in the video.

''It is clear that apart from surfing being with a blind person gives them greatness. Being with a blind person, moving it, placing it and explaining everything they do in the water so that I can understand them and help them, I think that brings them a lot.''

In 2016, Francesena represented Spain in the Adapted Surfing World Championship and won the gold medal against seven other competitors from around the world. 

“El Gallo”

Aitor 'Gallo' Francesena, 47, is a staple figure in Basque Country surfing. Founder of Zarautz Surf Club and co-founder of the first surf school in the country, Francesena has made an unforgettable impact on the sport as a national coach and trainer of some of the country's most elite surfers, such as, Aritz Aranburu.

Francesena is also completely blind.

Born with congenital glaucoma, he lost the vision in his right eye at 14-years-old. In 2011, after a corneal transplant, he had a surfing accident that left him without vision in his left eye, leaving him 100% blind.

Since then, Francesena hasn't skipped a beat. He is still surfing and still coaching the country's youth as they climb the ranks of the national circuit and beyond.

Better yet, he represented Spain in the 2016 Stance ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship in the newly added AS-VI (Visually Impaired) Division winning the Gold Medal against seven other competitors from around the world.

Interview : The method of teaching being blind is different than when I saw it, when I saw it, I took them out of the water with every failure they made and gave them a feedback. Now I try to teach everything so that tomorrow they can be coaches and they do their own self-analysis.

It is clear that apart from surfing being with a blind person gives them greatness. Being with a blind person, moving it, placing it and explaining everything they do in the water so that I can understand them and help them, I think that brings them a lot.