South Africa has taken sixth place at DAKINE ISA World Junior Surfing Championships. Australia won the first spot and took home the gold medal.
Thirty nations competed in the championships presented by Billabong which ended at Jiquiliste Beach in Nicaragua on Sunday, 16 June,
Team Australia was crowned the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Gold Medal Team when they overtook defending team champions Hawaii with the US taking third place, France fourth and Peru fifth.
In the individual divisions, Hawaiians clinched three of the four gold medals on offer with Josh Moniz winning the Boys U18 division, Tatiana Weston-Webb the Girls U18’s and Mahina Maeda the Girls U16’s. Australia’s Jacob Wilcox won the Boys U16 division.
Team SA’s sixth place finish was three places better than their ninth place in Panama last year and ensures that the country will receive a better seeding in next year’s event as well as earning a spot amongst the eight teams that will contest the ISA Aloha Cup competition, which was won for the first time by Japan in Nicaragua.
Diran Zakarian and Jordy Maree were Team SA’s top performers, finishing equal 11th in the U18 Boys and U16 Boys respectively. Nicole Pallet and Chanelle Botha were the best of the South African girls, ending equal 16th in the U18 and U16 Girls respectively.
The world’s largest junior surfing event featured nearly 30 surfers from 30 countries and was brought to a close by ISA President Fernando Aguerre.
Overall Team Results:
1. Australia- 24,256 points, Gold Medal plus ISA World Junior Team Champion Trophy
2. Hawaii- 23,828, Silver Medal
3. USA- 18,870, Bronze Medal
4. France- 18,212, Copper Medal
5. Japan- 16,322
6. South Africa- 15,652
7. Peru- 15,316
8. Brazil- 15,300
9. New England- 12,532
10. Portugal- 12,310
11. Costa Rica- 12,232
12. Venezuela- 10,388
13. Germany- 10,312
14. UK- 9,580
15. Argentina- 9,578
16. Tahiti- 8,700
17. Uruguay- 8,408
18. Puerto Rico- 8,276
19. Ecuador- 8,108
20. Nicaragua- 7,648
21. Panama- 7,168
22. Chile- 6,764
23. El Salvador- 5,184
24. Switzerland- 4,180
25. Italy- 3,440
26. Jamaica- 3,328
27. Mexico- 2,320
28. Barbados- 1,340
29. Ireland- 960
30. Russia- 640
Boys Under-18:
Josh Moniz (HAW), Gold Medal
Soli Bailey (AUS), Silver Medal
Andy Criere (FRA), Bronze Medal
Luke Hynd (AUS), Copper Medal
=11. Diran Zakarian (Melkbosstrand)
=13. Benji Brand (Kommetjie)
=19. Dylan Lightfoot (Jeffreys Bay)
=31. Josh Smit (Warner Beach)
Girls Under-18:
Tatiana Weston Webb (HAW), Gold Medal
Stephanie Single (AUS), Silver Medal
Nikki Veisins (USA), Bronze Medal
Chelsea Tuach (BAR), Copper Medal
=16. Nicole Pallet (Durban)
=19. Gina Smith (Jeffreys Bay)
Boys Under-16:
Jacob Wilcox (AUS), Gold Medal
Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Silver Medal
Jake Marshall (USA), Bronze Medal
Reo Inaba (JPN), Copper Medal
=11. Jordy Maree (Kalk Bay)
=21. Matt McGillivray (Jeffreys Bay)
=33. Steff Burrows (Strand)
=33. Shane Sykes (Salt Rock)
Girls Under-16:
Mahina Maeda (HAW), Gold Medal
Karelle Poppke (TAH), Silver Medal
Dax McGill (HAW), Bronze Medal
Frankie Harrer (USA), Copper Medal
=16. Chanelle Botha (Warner Beach)
=31. Anoush Zakarian (Melkbosstrand)
ISA Aloha Cup:
Japan- 63.77, Gold Medal
USA- 60.73, Silver Medal
Peru- 51.55, Bronze Medal
Australia- 49.08, Copper Medal
(edited)
