320 surfers from 37 countries set to participate in the biggest ever ISA World Junior Surfing Championship

320 of the best junior surfers from 37 countries around the world will gather in Oceanside, California, next week for biggest ever ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.

The record breaking event, which runs from 11-18 October, will see the best under-18 female and male surfers compete for their national teams with Gold, Silver, Bronze and Copper medals awarded to the top four placed surfers in each division. The most successful team will be awarded with the coveted ISA World Junior Team Champion Trophy.

Many of the past ISA World Junior Champions including current World Surf League [WSL] Tour Champion, Gabriel Medina [BRA], and winner of multiple WSL events, Sally Fitzgibbons [AUS], have gone on to become Surfing superstars. Following Tokyo 2020’s decision to recommend Surfing for inclusion at the 2020 Olympic Games, the 2015 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship will offer a glimpse of the exciting young talent who could go on and compete for Gold in Tokyo should the sport be admitted to the Olympic Programme at the IOC Session in Rio next year.

The level of competition at the 2015 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is set to be at an all-time high with 2014 Gold Medallists Mahina Maeda [HAW] and Leo-Paul Etienne [FRA] returning to defend their titles and other top junior competitors such as 2015 ISA World Surfing Games Champion, Tia Blanco [USA], Leonardo Fioravanti [ITA], Kim Veteau [FRA] and Seth Moniz [HAW] also set to go for Gold in Oceanside.

Speaking about the ground-breaking event, Fernando Aguerre, ISA President, said:

"The record-breaking 2015 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is set to be one of the most competitive and compelling events in ISA history and the Surfing community is looking forward to witnessing some fantastic action from some of the world’s best young surfers.

"Surfing is continually growing globally and to have 320 female and male competitors from 37 countries in this year’s ISA World Championship is a testament to the ISA’s strategy for the growth and development of the sport and its huge global appeal amongst young people.

"The ground-breaking event will be a fantastic showcase of Surfing’s unique culture and youthful values. The energy and dynamism of the athletes in fusion with the ‘beach party’ vibe in Oceanside will produce a spectacular event. As we continue in our campaign for inclusion at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games we’re stoked to see some incredible action from some of the future Surfing superstars who could potentially compete for Olympic glory on sports greatest stage in Tokyo."

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