From : The ISA
Location: Surf City El Salvador
Date: May 2, 2024
Websites: ISA
10 Things to Know About the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championship
The 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC) is set to gather the world’s best junior surfers in Surf City El Salvador on May 3-13, 2024.
Here are 10 things you should know about the competition:
1. Pathway to the Olympic Games
The best junior surfers from every part of the globe will contend for medals in this prestigious event that has proved itself as a direct pathway to the Olympic Games. 33 out of the 40 Tokyo 2020 Olympic surfers previously participated in the WJSC, 16 of them claiming ISA World Junior medals, including Olympic Bronze Medalist Owen Wright (AUS), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), and Gabriel Medina (BRA).
Multiple Paris 2024 qualified surfers have also topped the podium at the WJSC, including current WSL World Champions Caroline Marks (USA) and Filipe Toledo (BRA).
2. Former Medalists Return
Twelve former medalists will return to compete, including 2023 U/16 World Champion Hans Odriozola (ESP). 2023 U/18 silver, bronze and copper medalists Kohai Fierro (TAH), Candelaria Resano (NCG) and Zoe Chait (USA) are hungry to take the gold medal, while former U/16 medalists Lukas Skinner (ENG), Lanea Mons (USA), Inigo Madina (FRA), Luke Tema (HAW), Eden Walla (USA), Mirai Ikeda (JPN), Clémence Schorsch (FRA), and Tya Zebrowski (FRA) will all be hoping to return to the podium.
3. Record Participation
442 athletes, representing 54 national teams, will gather to compete for the coveted Team Gold medals, surpassing the previous record set in 2023. Current Team World Champions, Team Brazil, will return to defend their title.
4. New National Teams
Four national teams, British Virgin Islands, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia, will be represented in the WJSC for the very first time.
5. The Divisions
Nearly 450 athletes will compete across four divisions:
Girl’s U/16
Boy’s U/16
Girl’s U/18
Boy’s U/18
6. Gender Equality
A record 194 girls (43% of competitors) will compete and represent their nations in the 2024 WJSC. Since 2017 the ISA has offered equal competition slots for men and women across its World Championship Series, promoting women’s participation and gender equality in surfing.
7. Where to Watch
The live webcast will be streamed on www.isasurf.org from May 3 – 12.
Visit isasurf.org for results, team rosters, photos, videos, and news pertaining to the competition.
8. Social
The ISA will be posting live updates, photos and videos from the competition on social media. Follow along on:
Facebook: International Surfing Association
Instagram: @ISAsurfing
Twitter: @ISAsurfing
YouTube: @ISAsurfing
Tiktok: @isasurfing
9. Schedule
May 3 – 4:00pm: Opening Ceremony, next to Casa de Mar
May 4 – 11: Competition, La Bocana and El Sunzal
May 12: Finals and Closing Ceremony
10. The ISA and El Salvador
Surf City El Salvador has become a massive supporter of the ISA and surfing, demonstrating itself as a true world class surfing destination. This will be the seventh major ISA event to carry the title Surf City El Salvador.
The 2019 World SUP and Paddleboard World Championship, the 2022 ISA WJSC, and the 2023 and 2024 ISA World Longboard Championship have been joined by two qualifying events for the Olympic Games, the 2021 ISA World Surfing Games, which was the final Surfing qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games, which was the second qualifying event for Surfing in Paris 2024.
