USA’s Jake Marshall took advantage of today’s spectacular conditions, advancing with a 1st place in the opening round. Photo: ISA/Rommel Gonzales
The World’s Best Under-18 Surfers from 30 countries Put on Amazing Display in the Solid Waves of Playa Jiquiliste.
The DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC) Presented by Billabong kicked off Sunday with incredible surf in beautiful Playa Jiquiliste, Nicaragua. The competitors were greeted with great conditions and the famous Nicaraguan offshore winds, which provided a spectacular stage for the world’s best junior surfers.
A large Sunday crowd of Nicaraguans fans, team officials and supporters, witnessed the fierce competition from the beachfront grandstands built in Jiquiliste Beach for the ISA World Junior Championship.
“We had an amazing Day 1,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “We woke up this morning with a little drizzle but then it dried out and we had amazing waves and incredible offshore winds. It’s just perfect. On the first day, everybody is on the beach, you can feel the tension in the air, and the competitors were really focused. We see a lot of nervous faces, but this is the most important day and we are rolling.”
The ISA WJSC has nearly 300 competitors and the event takes place on two separate surf sites, side-by-side. The first day of the WJSC featured Qualifying Round 1 of the Boys Under-18 in the Main Podium and the Boys Under-16 in the Second Podium, for a full day of action-packed surfing.
Today’s competition was led by Japan’s Hiroto Arai, who posted the highest wave point combination of the day, scoring 15.84, defeating Mauricio Diaz (PUR, 10.30), Miguel Blanco (POR, 9.64) and Aurelio Prieto (ECU, 8.83).
The 2013 DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is a double elimination competition, with the first two surfers always advancing to the next Qualifying Round. Surfers in third and fourth place move into the Repechage Round, giving them a second chance to advance. However, another third or fourth place finish, and they will be out of the competition.
Other top performers of this day in the Boys Under-18 were Benji Brand from South Africa, who scored 15.17 against Kevin Schultz (USA, 9.47), Arne Bergwinkl (GER, 9.16) and Jorge Rivas (SAL, 5.50).
In the Boys Under-16 Division, the contest had a marathon day of surfing, with 32 Heats in Qualifying Round 1. The younger competitors also posted impressive performances with great scores.
Members of Nicaragua’s first-ever National Junior Surf Team congratulate Kevin Cortez on advancing to the next qualifying round. Photo: ISA/Michael Tweddle
France’s Nomme Mignot posted the highest heat total score, with 15.75 points, defeating Jorge Rivas (SAL, 8.90) and sending to the Repechage Rounds Malakai Martinez (CRI, 6.85). Mignot also had the highest single wave score of the day in this heat, earning a 9.25.
USA’s Griffin Colapinto was another standout earning the second highest total heat score with 14.75, defeating Argentina’s Sebastian Ventura (5.95) and sending to the Repechage Juan Gonzales (PUR, 4.85)
For a full list of today’s results, click here- http://isawjsc.com/results/
The 2013 DAKINE ISA World Surfing Games resumes Monday at 7:40am with The Morning Show hosted by Chris Ernst and Mateo Rojas.
Following that, the competition will feature:
16 heats of under-16 Boy’s Qualifying Round 2 (Main Podium)
12 heats of under-18 Boy’s Qualifying Round 2 (Main Podium)
12 heats of under-16 Girl’s Qualifying Round 1 (Second Podium)
12 heats of under-18 Girl’s Qualifying Round 1 (Second Podium)
The live webcast of the entire 2013 DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is available on www.isawjsc.com
The World’s Best Under-18 Surfers from 30 countries Put on Amazing Display in the Solid Waves of Playa Jiquiliste.
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running the Open Division World Championship since 1964, the World Junior Surfing Championship since 1980, the World Masters Surfing Championship since 2007, the World Bodyboard Championship since 2011, the Hainan Wanning Riyue Bay International Surfing Festival in China, and the World Standup Paddle (SUP) and Paddleboard Championship beginning in 2012. The ISA also sanctions the World Kneeboard Titles and the World Tandem Surfing Championship, and will launch the World Longboard Championship in 2013. ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies of 73 countries on five continents. Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California. It is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (Argentina), first elected President in 1994 in Rio de Janeiro and re-elected seven times since. The ISA’s four Vice-Presidents are Alan Atkins (AUS), Karín Sierralta (PER), Debbie Beacham (USA) and Layne Beachley (AUS).
More on www.isasurf.org
