| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rick Bennett 1969 (age 56–57) Essex |
| Surfing career | |
| Sport | Surfing |
Pegleg Bennett (born 1969) [1] is a British lifeguard and professional big wave surfer. [2] He also appeared on Survivor 2023 . [3]
Bennett was a strong swimmer as a child, learning to surf at age 17. [1] He found success in surfing so began competing internationally.[ citation needed ] In 2018, Bennett represented England in the Adapted World Championships in La Jolla, placing 6th. [4]
Pegleg Bennett competed in the 2021 AmpSurf ISA World Para Surfing Championships representing England, the highest-level contest for para/adaptive surfing. England went on to place 7th, Pegleg making it to the semi-finals of his division. [5] [6]
Bennett also works as a surfing instructor.[ citation needed ]
Born as Rick Bennett in 1969, Bennett was born without an ankle in his left leg, and as a result it was amputated when he was 13 months old. [1] He went by the nickname Pegleg throughout his childhood, eventually making the decision to make it his legal name in 2016. [7] [8] Bennett resides in St Agnes in Cornwall, England. [2] He is married and has children and grandchildren. [1]
In October 2023, Bennett was announced as one of the 18 contestants chosen to compete on Survivor 2023 , [9] missing 3 competitions to compete.[ citation needed ] He was voted out on day 32, earning 5th place [10] becoming the 7th jury member. He voted for Matthew Haywood to win the season, which he did in a 6–1–1 vote. [11]
In 2018, Pegleg appeared in an episode of George Clarke's Amazing Spaces , living in a van. [4] Pegleg is an ambassador for Dryrobe. [8]