Playa Jiquiliste is a world-class beach break with remarkable consistency. Jiquiliste is an emerging tourist destination and one of the best surfing spots in the country. The whole area is renowned for its stunning scenery and boasts some of the finest beaches in Nicaragua. Photo: Jan K Glenn/casa-ensueno.com
From June 8-16, Nicaragua will become the gathering place of the world’s best Junior surfers, who will compete in the 2013 DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC) Presented by Billabong in the perfect beach break waves of Playa Jiquiliste, Nicaragua.
The 2013 DAKINE ISA WJSC Presented by Billabong begins in less than two weeks. Over 30 countries from all corners of the planet and over 300 under-18 and under-16 boys and girls surfers will soon arrive to the beautiful country of Nicaragua, its warm weather, welcoming people, and great waves.
Here are the 10 things you need to know about the 2013 DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Presented by Billabong:
1. The Event
The 2013 DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Presented by Billabong is the biggest surfing event in the world for under-18 surfers, boys and girls, with 300 competitors from over 30 countries. It is the pinnacle of the career of every junior surfer around the world.
2. The Competition
The event gathers the best junior surfers from every continent to compete for their National Teams in an “Olympic-style” event. The surfers compete for medals and the honor of representing their respective countries.
The World Championship is a team competition with individual Boys and Girls divisions. Each National Team includes 4 under-18 Boys, 2 under-18 Girls, 4 under-16 Boys, and 2 under-16 Girls for a total of 12 athletes plus Team Officials.
Team Hawaii celebrates after winning the 2012 DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Playa Venao, Panama. The Hawaiians will be back to defend their Gold Medal. Photo: ISA/Shawn Parkin
3. The History
The ISA began including the Junior division at the ISA World Surfing Games in 1980, which was held at Biarritz, France. Surfing legend and three-time ASP World Tour Champion Tom Curren was the first ISA World Junior Surfing Champion. Thirty-one years later, in 2011, Curren also became a World Champion at the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship.
The ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is an annual event, in its 11th year as a stand-alone event. The first ISA World Junior Surfing Championship was held in 2003 in Durban South Africa.
Past ISA World Junior Champions include current ASP World Tour competitors Gabriel Medina (BRA, 2010), Tyler Wright (AUS, 2010, 2009), Alejo Muniz (BRA, 2008), Laura Enever (AUS, 2008), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS, 2007), Julian Wilson (AUS, 2006), Owen Wright (AUS, 2006), Pauline Ado (FRA, 2006), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS, 2005, 2004), Matt Wilkinson (AUS, 2004) and Jordy Smith (RSA, 2003).
2012 DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Gold Medallists, (from left to right) Hawaii’s Dax McGill, (Girls under-18), Hawaii’s Kalani David, (Boys under-16), and Brazil’s Matheus Navarro, (Boys under-18).
4. The Host and Support
The DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Presented by Billabong will mark the second consecutive year that Nicaragua has hosted an ISA event. In 2012, the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship took place at Playa Colorado.
Nicaragua won the hosting bid over other candidate nations because of its commitment to for a better surfing future, its ideal high-performance wave conditions, the dedication and support from President Daniel Ortega and the Institute of Tourism and its Executive President, Mayra Salinas Uriarte, who in conjunction, have helped develop surfing in the region.
5. The Prize
The athletes will compete for the individual and team Gold Medals and the coveted ISA World Junior Team Champion Trophy.2
Powerhouse teams including Australia, Brazil, France, Hawaii (the defending champions), South Africa, Peru and USA will be seeking a place on the podium in the Boys under-18, Boys under-16, Girls under-18 and the new Girls under-16 divisions, and, most importantly, the overall team standings.
6. The Location
The surfers from all over the globe will surf the waves of Playa Jiquiliste, located near Tola, two hours away from Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. Playa Jiquiliste is located in the Rancho Santana area. It’s a place known for its un-crowded world-class surf breaks in just two-mile long coastline.
7. The Wave
Jiquiliste Beach, also known as Santana Beach, is located in the Province of Rivas, in the municipality of Tola. This world-class beach break has remarkable consistency. Jiquiliste is an emerging tourist destination and one of the best surfing spots in the country. The whole area is renowned for its stunning scenery and boasts some of the finest beaches in Nicaragua
The surf break is located on the Pacific Ocean side of the country. The waves at Playa Jiquiliste depending on the tide can offer hollow beach-break barrels, or perfect high performance left and right breaking waves. The wind conditions are ideal almost year-round, blowing offshore.
8. The Schedule
The 11th edition of the championship will officially open on June 8 in San Juan del Sur, at the traditional ISA Opening Ceremony, which will include the Parade of the Nations and Sands of the World Ceremony.
The Parade of the Nations is a colorful and energy-filled event, complete with teams chanting, waving flags and the cheering of the locals who come out to watch the spectacle.
The Sands of the World Ceremony symbolizes the true fraternal spirit that bonds together all members of the global surfing tribe. The union of the countries of the world in this Ceremony is symbolized through the mixing of the sands from the shores of all participating National Delegations, showcasing the ISA desire for a better and peaceful world.
Important Dates:
- Friday, June 7 – Official Press Conference at 10am in Managua
- Saturday, June 8 – Parade of the Nations, Opening Ceremony and Sands of the World Ceremony
- Sunday, June 9 – Competition Begins
- Sunday, June 16 – Final day of competition, Awards Presentation and Closing Ceremony
9. Past Champions
Past individual and team champions of the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship are:
Under 18 Boys
1980 – Biarritz, France: Tom Curren (USA)
1982 – Gold Coast, Australia: Bryce Ellis (AUS)
1984 – Huntington Beach, USA: Damien Hardman (AUS)
1986 – Newquay, England: Vetea David (TAH)
1988 – Aguadilla, Puerto Rico: Chris Brown (USA)
1990 – Chiba, Japan: Shane Bevan (AUS)
1992 – Lacanau, France: Chad Edser (AUS)
1994 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Kalani Robb (HAW)
1996 – Huntington Beach, USA: Ben Bourgeois (USA)
1998 – Carcavelos, Portugal: Dean Morrison (AUS)
2000 – Porto de Galinhas, Brazil: Joel Centeio (HAW)
2002 – Durban, South Africa: Warwick Wright (RSA)
2003 – Durban, South Africa: Ben Dunn (AUS)
2004 – Papenoo, Tahiti: James Wood (AUS)
2005 – Huntington Beach, USA: Jefferson Silva (BRA)
2006 – Maresias, Brazil: Julian Wilson (AUS)
2007 – Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Jadson André (BRA)
2008 – Seignosse, France: Alejo Muniz (BRA)
2009 – Salinas, Ecuador: Dean Bowen (AUS)
2010 – Piha Beach, New Zealand: Gabriel Medina (BRA)
2011 – Punta Hermosa, Peru: Cristobal De Col (PER)
2012 – Playa Venao, Panama: Matheus Navarro (BRA)
Under 18 Girls
2003 – Durban, South Africa: Jesse Miley Dyer (AUS)
2004 – Papenoo, Tahiti: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2005 – Huntington Beach, USA: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
2006 – Maresias, Brazil: Pauline Ado (FRA)
2007 – Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
2008 – Seignosse, France: Laura Enever (AUS)
2009 – Salinas, Ecuador: Tyler Wright (AUS)
2010 – Piha Beach, New Zealand: Tyler Wright (AUS)
2011 – Punta Hermosa, Peru: Canelle Bulard (FRA)
2012 – Playa Venao, Panama: Dax McGill (HAW)
Under 16 Boys
2003 – Durban, South Africa: Jordy Smith (RSA)
2004 – Papenoo, Tahiti: Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
2005 – Huntington Beach, USA: Tonino Benson (HAW)
2006 – Maresias, Brazil: Owen Wright (AUS)
2007 – Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Garret Parkes (AUS)
2008 – Seignosse, France: Tamaroa McComb (TAH)
2009 – Salinas, Ecuador: Keanu Asing (HAW)
2010 – Piha Beach, New Zealand: Matt Banting (AUS)
2011 – Punta Hermosa, Peru: Filipe Toledo (BRA)
2012 – Playa Venao, Panama: Kalani David (HAW)
Team Title
2003 – Durban, South Africa: Team Brazil
2004 – Papenoo, Tahiti: Team Australia
2005 – Huntington Beach, USA: Team Hawaii
2006 – Maresias, Brazil: Team Australia
2007 – Costa de Caparica, Portugal: Team Australia
2008 – Seignosse, France: Team Australia
2009 – Salinas, Ecuador: Team Australia
2010 – Piha Beach, New Zealand: Team Australia
2011 – Punta Hermosa, Peru: Team Peru
2012 – Playa Venao, Panama: Hawaii
10. The Mission
The ISA’s mission is to develop the sport of surfing in Nicaragua and around the world. This is accomplished through annual World Championships, membership development, educational programs, scholarship distribution and working towards Olympic Surfing.
The ISA is fulfilling its mission as Nicaragua has previously hosted a very successful ISA World Masters Surfing Championship in Playa Colorado in July 2012. This event delivered some of the best waves at an ISA event in recent history.
To watch the official event promo, visit the official event website www.isawjsc.com, where you will soon find photos, videos and the live webcast beginning on Saturday, June 8 with the Opening Ceremony. Competition begins on Sunday, June 9, and the Finals and Closing Ceremony will be Sunday, June 16.
You can also watch the live webcast on the following media outlets:
ISA Member Nations’ Websites
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
