By Martin Grose – Surfing Australia - www.surfingaustralia.com

Team Australia Squad for 2009 WJSC to be selected
The Team Australia Squad will go into camp after Christmas to select the 12 person team that will defend the World Championship Team Crown won by Australia last year in France.

A training squad of 16 has been invited to attend the selection and training camp at Surfing Australia’s High Performance Centre at Casuarina Beach, NSW, Australia.

The training squad was selected after performances at the recent Australian Junior Championships held at Margaret River in Western Australia.

Steph Gilmore celebrates back to back world championships
Steph Gilmore celebrated her second full year on the pro tour with her second world championship. Gilmore has been a product of the Surfing Australia High Performance Centre programs.

Her two professional championships match the two ISA World Junior Championships she won in 2004 and 2005.

2009 Aussies on the world tour
A number of new and old faces will join the World Tour in 2009. 2007 ISA World Junior Champion and 2008 ISA World Champion, Sally Fitzgibbons is destined to make a sudden and exciting impact on the world of professional surfing and if she continues her competitive form from 2008, she will be challenger to Steph Gilmore for the World Title in her rookie year.

On the men’s side of the World Qualifying Series, 5 Australian surfers have either qualified or requalified for the 2009 ASP World Tour. Exciting young surfer Nic Muscroft (Jan Juc, Victoria, Australia), with veteran competitor Drew Courtney (Umina, NSW, Australia) will both make their ASP World Tour debuts in 2009.

The three other competitors have all requalified for the ASP World Tour after having tasted varying success in the past and briefly returning to WQS competition. Josh Kerr (Tweed Heads, NSW, Australia), Chris Davidson (Narrabeen, NSW, Australia) and Phil MacDonald (Cronulla, NSW,

Surfing Australia CEO moves on
Surfing Australia’s CEO, Mark Lane has decided to move back to Western Australia with his young family. The former CEO of Surfing Western Australia took up the role of CEO of the National Office in late 2005 and has overseen a number of initiatives including the securing of Martin Dunn as Surfing Australia’s National Coaching Director.

Mark is a great supporter of the programs of the ISA and was regular at many World Junior and Surfing Games in his role as Manager of many successful Australian teams. We wish him all the best in the future and he will be missed by the team at Surfing Australia.

About International Surfing Association
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980. 

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since.  The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Maile Aguerre (Hawaii) and Mike Gerard (USA).

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