Surf Features

Twelve youngsters from across Cornwall, Devon and Wales have been honoured to be selected by the British Surfing Association for the British Junior Surfing Team for the 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships which take place in the South West of France from the 24 May – 1 June. 

The event will see junior athletes under the age of 18 coming from every continent on the planet and the British team will join more than 30 other countries including the surf 'power brokers' such as Australia, USA, South Africa, and Hawaii along side emerging nations including Israel, Morocco, Costa Rica.

A selection of the Junior Team celebrate

The British Junior Surf Team will now undergo an intensive training schedule to ensure they are fully fit and prepared for the Championships. 

They will travel to France with Brittany Ferries where the famous breaks of Seignosse, Hossegor and Capbreton in the South West of France will be the locations for both individual and team World Junior Champion titles.

Unlike standard professional events, the surfers will compete in national team format. This format is unique in world surfing and the surfers will be competing solely for the honour of receiving a gold, silver, bronze or copper medal and representing their nation.

The twelve selected youngsters have been part of an ongoing youth surf development and training scheme sponsored by Calypso. Further to this, they have all proven themselves on the annual contest circuit and a number of them have competed in the Junior World and European teams in the past. 

They will be supported in France by some of the best British coaches and managers who have also been specially selected to represent their country. 

In the Under 18s Boys category

Lyndon Wake from Croyde will join Lewis Clinton and Arron Evans from Newquay and Stuart Campbell from Woolacombe. 

The Under 16s team category

Wilmslow’s Luis Eyre, Josh Piper and George Picking from Newquay and Toby Donachie again from St Merryn.

Girls team

The new 16 year old English Women’s Champion Holly Donnolly will lead Croyd's Karma Worthington and Kathleen Spears alongside Tassy Swallow from St Ives.

Head coach Barrie Hall said, "To be selected for the team for the 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships is one of the highlights of these young surfers’ careers thus far and illustrates their talent and dedication to the sport. 

This event is the equivalent of the surfing Olympics and our young British athletes will be pushed to their very max, to drive themselves to the absolute top of their game to represent their nation on this prestigious global platform. 

National Director of the British Surfing Association, Karen Walton says, "It always makes us all so proud to see our young surfers emerging into the limelight and taking these positions to represent the British nation. 

"The experience for them at the Junior World Championships is unbeatable and aside from the honour of being in the national team, the participation is a key step in their personal development as a global competitive surfer." 

"This year’s team is being fully supported by sponsors Calypso, Rhino board bags, Robie Robes and Brittany Ferries and their funding and backing is majorly appreciated by all involved."

Karen continues, "With only a couple of weeks to go, the team coaches and managers will be working closely with all of the team to ensure that they are physically and psychologically ready for the championships and we're looking forward to seeing them all in the water, and hopefully on the podium, representing our surfing nation."