(Heuler Andrey/DiaEsportivo/SPP)
The ISA World Junior Surfing Championships (WJSC) have been providing a glimpse into the future stars of the sport since legendary American surfer Tom Curren took gold at the inaugural championships in 1980.
This year was no exception.
From 24 November - 1 December the world’s best junior surfers went head to head in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in an attempt to win under-16 and under-18 girls and boys world titles.
It was a global win as each of the individual champions represented a different continent: Asia, South America, Europe and Australia. Brazil took the team gold for the first time in two decades, and the win at home was icing on the cake.
Anon Matsuoka took the girl’s U18 gold and Japan’s first ever girl’s gold medal at the WJSC and Brazil’s Ryan Kainalo took the boy’s U18 title at home.
Australia’s Sierra Kerr claimed her first junior world title in the girls U16 category to join Aussie greats like Stephanie Gilmore and Tyler Wright, while 15-year old Hans Odriozola took Spain’s first ever junior world title in the U16 boys.
These athletes are following in the footsteps of some of the sport’s greatest athletes, including reigning world champions Filipe Toledo and Caroline Marks, who both landed on top of the podium at the WJSC as their careers kicked off.
Fernando Aguerre, president of the International Surfing Association (ISA), told ISAsurf, “The incredible development of surfing worldwide has been on full display throughout the week, with new nations represented for the first time, teams winning historic first medals and each winner representing different continents.
“We know that one day we will see many of these surfers as Olympians, representing their nation on sport’s biggest stage.”
Tyler Wright of Australia celebrates after winning gold in the Girls Under 18 division final during the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships at Piha Beach on January 28, 2010 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Hans Odriozola is a name to remember.
After narrowly missing the podium in 2022, Spain’s 15-year-old Odriozola became his country’s first ever world junior champion in Rio. With the highest heat total of the event, a 17.83 in the semi-finals, Odriozola had a solid foundation going into finals where he took on England’s Lukas Skinner.
Skinner took an early lead in the final and maintained control throughout, until the final 45 seconds when the Spaniard needed just an eight-point ride to overtake the Brit and pulled out a forehand air reverse to win the heat by just 0.05 points. The newest boys under-16 champion comes in at just five feet and one inch, weighing 88 pounds, according to the WSL roster.
Daughter of Josh Kerr, professional surfer, 16-year-old Sierra Kerr is living up to her second-generation potential by taking the girl’s under-16 world title in Rio. Her father competed in his first world tour circuit the year that Sierra was born and she has since followed in his footsteps, riding on the nose of his surfboards before graduating to ride solo and now, becoming the top female surfer in the world under the age of 16.
With over 126,000 followers on Instagram, the Australian teen is well on her way to building a name for herself in the world of surfing. With her first world title, she is following in the footsteps of Aussie greats like eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore and back-to-back world champion Tyler Wright**.** She took the highest score of the event with her opening wave in the Semifinals with a 9.93.
18-year-old Anon Matsuoka just became the first Japanese woman to ever take gold at the WSJC.
She’s been on fire this season, taking her first two golds at World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) events, the Siargao International Surfing Cup and the Krui Pro. With four other QS podium finishes, Matsuoka is quickly climbing the ranks in the world of female professional surfing. In Rio, she topped USA’s Zoet Chait, Nicaragua’s Candelaria Resano and Tahiti’s Kohai Fierro for the gold.
It could have been anyone's gold as the lead was tossed between the finalists, but Brazil’s Ryan Kainalo came out on top to take his first world title at home. Portugal’s Francisco Ordonhas and Spain’s Kai Ordriozola put up a tough competition posting seven and eight point rides, but with consistency and a solid 7.70, Kainalo left no room for anyone else on top of the podium.
Steadily climbing the ranks of the men’s WSL QS events, Kainalo has racked up eight podium finishes, but is still waiting to take that senior win. From Ubatuba, Brazil, Kainalo hails from the same part of the country as back-to-back reigning world champion Filipe Toledo.