Junior teams from all over the world are getting ready for the biggest Under 18 surfing event in the world

Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship 
January 20-28, 2010 
Piha Beach, New Zealand 

The surfing world is getting ready for its greatest Under 18 surfing event, the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship that will be held in Piha Beach, New Zealand, January 20-28. The best junior surfers from over 20 countries will be competing for the medals and the honor of defending their nations´ colors.

Each country will travel to New Zealand with four Under 18 surfers, four Under 16 and four Under 18 girls. Each of these three divisions will receive their gold, silver, bornze and copper medals. The trophy will go to the nation that reaches the greatest points combination taking each of each team member.

New Zealand is ready to receive the best junior athletes from around the world, according to Greg Townsend, Surfing New Zealand Executive Officer: "Having this top ranked world event is fantastic for the city of Auckland, and for the sport of surfing in New Zealand and we are excited to have been given this huge opportunity to showcase our unique culture and our beautiful environment to the world while at the same time giving New Zealanders a taste of the very best the sport of surfing can deliver."

Fernando Aguerre, ISA President noted that: "We're really happy to go to New Zealand for the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship. It is an amazing location with perfect waves and a great surfing culture. It's really important to notice that this is the first time after more than 25 years that the ISA holds an event of this magnitude in the Australasia zone."

"This event is amazing for Quiksilver and not only us but New Zealand. We are stoked to have it back down in the southern Hemisphere in 2010. The Surfing NZ crew have been working around the clock to get this off the ground and we thank them them for their efforts. This will be the biggest surf event NZ have ever held, great to have our brand part of it." Said Luke Watson, Marketing Manager of Quiksilver Australasia, title sponsor of the event.

The 2010 edition of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship will be the 8th edition of the event. In 2003 in Durban, the first edition of the Championship took place. The ISA started holding the Junior division in the World Championship in 1980, when legendary surfer Tom Curren won.

Past Champions
Gold Medal Nations
2003 - Durban, South Africa: Brazil
2004 - Papenoo, Tahiti: Australia 

2005 - Huntington Beach, United States: Hawaii
2006 - Maresias, Brazil: Australia 

2007 - Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Australia 

2008 - Seignosse, France - Gold Medal: Australia
2009 - Salinas, Ecuador - Gold Med al: Australia
2010 - Piha Beach, New Zealand: ???

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: ???

The date and place is set, the history books will be written in Piha Beach, New Zeland, January 20-28 in the 2010 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.