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The seventh edition of the greatest junior surfing event in the world, the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship that took place from March 28 to April 5 in the waves of the FAE in Salinas, Ecuador, was a complete success at all levels. The waves were perfect during the eight days of competition, at a minimum of four feet all the time and always with great conditions. During two days, the ocean gave a quite big swell, with walls that easily reached three solid meters. The event broke historic competitor records with 264 surfers, from 28 countries, that competed in three divisions (Boys Under 18, Boys Under 16 and Girls Under 18). Surfing was simply the best at junior level. Each of the 28 nations delivered their best representatives. The Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship has become the most important event in the career of the Under 18. Proof of this is that several of the participants were former medalists and former world champions, including:
The organization of the Ecuadorian Surf Federation (FES, for its initials in Spanish), was excellent. Everything was in place during all the championship days, which made the interested parties more than happy. The excellent ecologic structure is worth mentioning; it was made mostly of reed, which gave comfort to the staff, press, judges and competitors. It took three months to build it and it was worth it. Emotion was present until the very last moment. Contrary to what happened in past junior world championships, in which Australia had won with anticipation, this time Hawaii made things difficult for the athletes of kangaroo land. Only when Dean Brown won the last final of the event, in the Under 18 division, did his team win. History would have been different if Dylan Goodale of Hawaii, who was placed fourth, had won that final or had positioned himself above his Australian rival. The Olympic spirit was present in Ecuador, as usual in ISA events. The 28 participanting countries made a pacific reunion in the world championship, leaving aside their race, religious, color, etc. differences for their love of the sport. The champions were defined under the rules of a fair play. Once again, the fairer and groundbreaking ISA format of using eight judges was employed. They determined that: The medal chart and Overall Team Ranking was: Under 18 Boys results: Under 16 Boys results: Girls Under 18 results: The best surfing future is being lived now. The Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship began in South Africa in 2003 in an event that had 128 competitors from 16 countries then 177 competitors from 24 countries the next year. It grew stronger in 2005 when 29 countries and 258 competitors participated. It is mainly a better future for surfing because the event drives forward the level of those that will dominate the world surfing scenario in the future. This happens to those surfers that come for the least developed nations to world’s surfing super powers. History was written once again. The event’s gallery of champion nations now shows the following: 2003 – Durban, South Africa – Team Gold Medal: Brazil
Next year the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championship history will continue to be written, in a yet undefined location, but that will undoubtedly promise good waves, good surfing, comradeship and the best junior surfing in the world. About the International Surfing Association (ISA) |
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