Date of Birth: 25 June, 1995
Residing in Port Macquarie, Australia

Three months ago a young Australian, Matt Banting, was crowned World Champion at the 2010 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship held in Piha Beach, New Zealand. In order to achieve the biggest title of his career, he had to win seven heats against the best surfers from over 20 countries in the Under 16 Boys division.

He handled the pressure with ease, worked hard as an Aussie Team Member, surfed critical sections with commitment, and therefore won one heat after another. Once everything was over and all his teammates cheered for Banting with the classic “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!” chant, he told us, “I’m so happy! It was a really hard final with a lack of waves. It changed just before we went out and I was lucky to get a couple of runners. It was sick.”

Before the contest, Banting was a safe bet as a future ASP World Tour contender for Australia. Now, the world knows him and knows that there´s a new threat for the 2020 World Title.

In the May 2010 issue of Surfer Mag, in the feature “Hot 100” about emerging surfers, they say about Banting: “Without question, Matt Banting represents the future of Australian surfing. With Taj’s flair, Joel’s style, and a competitive streak said to rival Fanning, the Australian upstart has all of the characteristics of a surfer poised for a legendary career. Still a grom, Banting has an unparalleled list of achievements to his name: current ISA World Junior Champ, Under-16 Australia Champ, and a five-time Rusty Gromfest Champ. The talent’s there and the drive is realized. For Banting to fulfill his potential, he needs to stay on the path he’s on right now, the one that’s proved golden.”

He’s only 15 but his junior career started years ago when he won the first of the five Rusty Gromfest titles, and he still has enough time to fill his room with junior trophies. With a professional career that is poised to take off, Banting is looking good to become the next big thing. Just wait and see. 

Check him out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZirMBhsS-QI&f