An Unforgettable Evening with Lucas Arsenault: A Cabrinha Team Rider's Story of Survival
It Gets Better : A Story of Resilience from One of Our Own
On Thursday, May 13, the South Florida watersports community gathered at Coconut Grove Sailing Club for an unforgettable evening with Cabrinha team rider Lucas Arsenault, hosted by Cabrinha and Adventure Sports USA.
Lucas has been part of the Cabrinha family for over a decade. He joined the team in 2015 after winning the Canadian Junior Freestyle Championship, went on to serve as our International Team Manager for Cabrinha and Dakine, and remains a Cabrinha team rider today. Through every chapter of that journey — including a shark attack in 2024 that took his right leg — Lucas has stayed close to the brand, the sport, and the community that grew up around him.
What started as a dinner and a talk unfolded into the kind of night that makes you pause and reflect on your own life long after you get home. Riders, families, friends, and strangers gathered as Lucas delivered a powerful reflection on survival, mindset, and what it truly means to keep moving forward when life changes in an instant.
From PEI to the Cabrinha Team
Lucas began by sharing the story of his rise through professional kiteboarding. Years of dedication on the empty beaches of Prince Edward Island, relentless training, and an obsession with progression eventually led him to magazine covers, world travel, and riding alongside the same athletes he once looked up to. By 27, he was living the life he had always dreamed about.
Then, in May 2024, during a snorkeling trip in Turks and Caicos with close friends and family, everything changed.
Lucas was attacked by a tiger shark.
Hearing him describe the experience in person left the entire room silent. The shark grabbed onto his leg, and after a violent struggle in the water, Lucas managed to fight back and survive — but not without help from his loved ones, and a mindset that ultimately determined the difference between life and death.
Lessons Forged Before and After the Attack
Throughout the evening, Lucas spoke about the lessons he learned on both sides of that moment. He reflected on the discipline it took to reach the professional level, the importance of showing up even when nobody is watching, and how perspective can completely shape the outcome of difficult moments.
One of the most moving parts of the night was hearing how people rallied together in the immediate aftermath. Friends, family, and the global Cabrinha community stepped in to support Lucas through the hardest period of his recovery. A GoFundMe was launched to help cover medical costs, recovery, and prosthetics. In a fitting tribute to his personality and resilience, his community even launched a beer called Shark Eh to raise additional funds. It became a symbol of the humor, strength, and support system that carried him through an unimaginable chapter of life.
Real Resilience, Not the Motivational-Poster Kind
More than anything, Lucas's story was about resilience — not the motivational-post kind, but the real kind. The kind built through hardship, uncertainty, fear, and recovery. His story was a reminder that adversity does not always arrive gradually. Sometimes life changes in an instant, and how you respond in those moments matters deeply.
What made the night so impactful was how relatable the message became for everyone in the room. Lucas spoke about pressure, setbacks, fear, purpose, and growth in a way that applied far beyond sports.
As the evening came to a close, people stayed long after the talk ended, continuing conversations around the club and reflecting on the story they had just heard. It was one of those rare nights where you leave feeling genuinely changed by someone else's perspective.
A huge thank you to Lucas for sharing such an honest and powerful story with our community, and thank you to everyone who came out to be part of an evening none of us will forget.
