Australia’s best begin prep for 2024 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship

One month out from the event, Australia has announced it’s team of 12 for the 2024 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship to be held in El Salvador this May. Full details and team inside:

Grace Hamilton

2 min read

April 12, 2024 - 5:51PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Australia's Best Junior Surfers Prepare for the 2024 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship

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The best junior surfers from every part of the globe will contend for medals at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, which will take place in El Salvador from May 3-12.

The event has a proven record of producing elite talent, with Olympic Bronze Medallist Owen Wright, eight-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore, two-time World Champion Tyler Wright and Sally Fitzgibbons among the list of part ISA World Junior Champions.

One month out from the event, Australia has announced its team of 12 surfers across the under-16 and under-18 age divisions.

The Aussie athletes have been attending a training camp at the Surfing Australia Hyundai High Performance Centre in order to prepare for the waves of La Bocana and El Sunzal.

Fletcher Kelleher competing at the 2023 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship. Image: Pablo Franco / ISA

Surfing Australia Talent Pathway Coach, Peter Duncan said the camp is all about preparation.

“We’re going to throw different challenges at them, make sure they adapt and get the gist of what an ISA campaign is

“The team consists of surfers from across Australia, who qualify either by winning the Woolworths Australian Junior Surfing Titles, winning the national rankings or through a wildcard system,” Duncan said.

“The level of talent is unbelievable.

“These surfers are setting the benchmark in international standards, which is cool as well.

Australian finished fourth overall in 2023 with Sierra Kerr winning an individual gold.

“The wave in El Salvador can be a nice, punchy kind of wave, which suits the Aussie style of surfing.

“We expect to see big combos and big turns.”

17-year-old Dane Henry and 16-year-old Milla Brown have been named team captains.

“Being named captain is a huge accomplishment.

“We have a really strong team and I think we have a good chance of getting gold so I’m hoping to get us there,“ Henry said.

Brown said she is looking forward to surfing for Australia with the ultimate goal of a team gold.

“It’s a pretty big role, to be the captain alongside Dane, and pretty cool,“ Brown said.