The 2014 Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championships are due to get underway tomorrow, 5 April in Salinas, Ecuador, and twelve of our country’s top juniors are prepared for a 9-day battle against the rest of the world’s surfing nations.
Ntando Msibi is amped to represent his country for the first time. Pre-event punt at La FAE.
Every year South Africa sends a formidable team to challenge for global honours, and although the 2013 SA Junior Team finished a surprising sixth behind Japan in Nicaragua, they will still go into this event as one of the teams to watch.
That’s due to our history of producing champions, plus Bianca Buitendag, Travis Logie and Jordy Smith’s performances on the Dream Tour help our reputation too. Did we mention that the SA Team are the current ISA World Games title-holders, and our SA Masters also multiple champions?
THE 2014 SA JUNIOR TEAM:
UNDER 18 BOYS:
Max Armstrong (WP – 2 caps)
Steff Burrows (Boland – 3 caps)
Shane Sykes (KZN – 2 caps)
Ntando Msibi (KZN – 1 cap)
UNDER 18 GIRLS:
Chanelle Botha (SKZN – 3 caps)
Teal Hogg (KZN – 1 cap)
UNDER 16 BOYS:
Jordan Maree (WP – 2 caps)
Ethan Fletcher (WP – 1 cap)
Adin Masencamp (Boland – 1 cap)
Joshe Faulkner (EP – 1 cap)
UNDER 16 GIRLS:
Cana Foster (KZN – 1 cap)
Ruth Armstrong (WP – 1 cap)
The Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championship will be contested at La FAE Beach, which includes a fun, bowly left point on the far side of the bay, as well as punchy sand-bottomed peaks along the beach. Using the double podium set-up, competitors will have to stay sharp as they contest heats on either the longer left point or the short, more powerful beachbreak.
J-Bay shredder, Joshe Faulkner, has been getting acquainted with the left point.
With the team settled in nicely, plus having the experienced management team of Isaac February, Greg Emslie, Dave Malherbe and Tasha Mentasti keeping them focussed, the SA Junior squad are ready to represent as they take on the world.
The event will be broadcast LIVE via www.isawjsc.com from 5 – 13 April.
Watch out, world – Jordy Maree and Team SA are coming.
Representing your country is an honour and our boys and girls have been taking it seriously…