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

Aussies will defend the Gold in Ecuador
Surfing Australia announced the Australian Junior Surf Team to represent Australia in Salinas, Ecuador for the biggest junior surfing event in the world, the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, to be held from March 28 until April 5.
The squad that’s going to defend the title is:
Under 18 Boys
Dean Bowen (Gerroa, NSW)
Jordi Watson (Currarong, NSW)
Davey Cathels (Narrabeen, NSW)
Garrett Parkes (Byron Bay, NSW).

Under 16 Boys
Cooper Chapman (North Narrabeen, NSW)
Dylan Cummings (Noraville, NSW)
Matt Banting (Port Macquarie, NSW)
Creed McTaggert (Margaret River, WA).

Under 18 Girls
Paige Haggerston (Coal Point, NSW)
Kirby Wright (Lennox Head, NSW)
Laura Enever (North Narrabeen, NSW)
Tyler Wright (Lennox Head, NSW).
Australia is the biggest power surfing nation in the world. In the Juniors, they’ve won four out of the six events held. Placing 2nd in Durban 2003 and 4th in Huntington Beach 2005, the rest of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship was won by Aussies.

They’re simply the team to beat.

GENERAL INFO
Surfing Australia presents Australian Surfing Awards
The annual Australian Surfing Awards were held recently during the opening event of the ASP World Tour at Coolangatta.

The night honored Gary “Kong” Elkerton as he was inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame. Stan Couper was also posthumously inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame for his contribution to the administration of surfing in the 70’s, along with a number of other individuals and organizations who were recognized.

Those recognized included: Steph Gilmore and Bede Durbidge as Female and Male Surfers of the Year,  2006 ISA Junior World Champion Julian Wilson took the Rising Star, Coolum Boardriders were named Simon Anderson Club of the Year,  Peter “Joli” Wilson captured the Photo of the Year, “Lost and Running” by Nigel Devenport was named the Surf Movie of the Year, Tim Winton’s novel “Breath” took  the Surf Culture Award,  Coastalwatch received the Surf Industry Award, Firewire won the Pioneer Award, Adrian Sorati was awarded the Stan Couper Administration Award while Barry “Magoo” McGuigan was presented with the inaugural Peter Troy Lifestyle Award.

Team Australia attends camp
The Australian team will enter camp at Surfing Australia’s High Performance Centre at Casuarina Beach Resort just prior to heading off to Ecuador for the 2009 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championship. The camp is the final opportunity to get the team together to “fine tune” the team’s goal of improving on their previous performances. 

Steph Gilmore continues her winning ways
Two time ISA World Junior Girls Champion Steph Gilmore has kicked off her 2009 campaign by winning the first event of the ASP World Tour, the Roxy Pro.
Gilmore defeated Melanie Bartels (Hawaii). Gilmore previously won the individual ISA Girls World Under 18 gold medal in 2004 in Tahiti and then again in 2005 in Huntington Beach, California, USA.

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
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), Mike Gerard (USA) and Karin Sierralta (Peru).

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