1. The Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is the biggest surfing event in the world for Under 18 surfers, considering the surfing level, amount of competitors and participating countries. This is the pinnacle of the juvenile career of every junior surfer around the planet.
2. It is an “Olympic Style” event. Teams come here competing for medals and the honor of representing their nations. The excellence of competitive surfing reaches it highest level because of the motivation of defending each participating flags colors.
3. The Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is an annual event that started in 2003 in Durban South Africa. The International Surfing Association decided to hold a separate event for the growing level and population of junior surfing. The decision proved to be right. Nowadays the desire of every junior surfer, is to represent their country in this great contest.
The ISA started holding the Junior division in the World Championship in 1980, when legendary surfer Tom Curren won.
4. The 2010 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is being held for the first time ever in the Australasia region. New Zealand was chosen among other candidate nations because of its great commitment of reaching a better surfing future, a great and well-structured National Governing Body (Surfing New Zealand), a coast that's packed with consistent waves and also to promote surfing in this region.
5. The 21 participating countries in New Zealand 2010 are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Great Britain, Hawaii, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Tahiti, United States of America, and Vanuatu.
6, Over 250 team members and surfers will be competing in the event. In the history of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship a total of 1501 surfers participated.
7. The eighth edition of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship will be officially opened on January 20 at Mission Bay, Auckland at 1pm. Competition will start at 8:00am on the 21st at Piha Beach, Auckland.
8. Past Champions of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship
Under 18 Boys
2003 - Durban, South Africa: Ben Dunn (AUS)
2004 - Papenoo, Tahiti: James Wood (AUS)
2005 - Huntington Beach, United States: Jefferson Silva (BRA)
2006 - Maresias, Brazil: Julian Wilson (AUS)
2007 - Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Jadson André (BRA)
2008 - Seignosse, France - Gold Medal: Alejo Muniz (BRA)
2009 - Salinas, Ecuador - Gold Medal: Dean Bowen (AUS)
2010 – Piha Beach, New Zealand: ?
Under 18 Girls
2003 - Durban, South Africa: Jesse Miley Dyer (AUS)
2004 - Papenoo, Tahiti: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2005 - Huntington Beach, United States: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2006 - Maresias, Brazil: Pauline Ado (FRA)
2007 - Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
2008 - Seignosse, France - Gold Medal: Laura Enever (AUS)
2009 - Salinas, Ecuador - Gold Medal: Tyler Wright (AUS)
2010 – Piha Beach, New Zealand: ?
Under 16 Boys
2003 - Durban, South Africa: Jordy Smith (RSA)
2004 - Papenoo, Tahiti: Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
2005 - Huntington Beach, United States: Tonino Benson (HAW)
2006 - Maresias, Brazil: Owen Wright (FRA)
2007 - Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Garret Parkes (AUS)
2008 - Seignosse, France - Gold Medal: Tamaroa McComb (TAH)
2009 - Salinas, Ecuador - Gold Medal: Keanu Asing (HAW)
2010 – Piha Beach, New Zealand: ?
9. Previous editions of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship were held in and won by:
2003 – Durban – Gold Medal: Brazilian team
2004 – Papenoo – Gold Medal: Australian team
2005 – Huntington Beach – Gold Medal: Hawaiian team
2006 – Maresias – Gold Medal: Australian team
2007 – Costa de Caparica – Gold Medal: Australian team
2008 – Seignosse – Gold Medal: Australian team
2009 – Salinas – Gold Medal: Australian team
2010 – Auckland – Gold Medal: ?
Australia has won five out of the seven editions of the event. Brazil and Hawaii have won one.
10. Previous medalists of the event that are going to be competing in New Zealand include:
Ecuador 2009 – Girls Under 18 gold medalist, Tyler Wright (AUS)
Ecuador 2009 – Boys Under 16 gold medalist, Keanu Asing (HAW)
Ecuador 2009 - Boys Under 18 bronze medalist, Maxime Huscenot (FRA)
Ecuador 2009 - Boys Under 16 silver medalist, Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Ecuador 2009 – Boys Under 16 bronze medalist, Davey Brand (RSA)
Ecuador 2009 – Boys Under 16 copper medalist, Jessé Mendes (BRA)
Ecuador 2009 – Girls Under 18 silver medalist, Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Ecuador 2009 – Girls Under 18 bronze medalist, Alessa Quizon (HAW)
France 2008 – Boys Under 16 gold medalist, Tamaroa McComb (TAH)
France 2008 – Boys Under 16 silver medalist, Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
France 2008 – Boys Under 16 copper medalist, Ian Fontaine (FRA)
