<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The future of global surfing was showcased as four new World Junior Champions were crowned on a historic day of competition at the 2023 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC). Praia da Macumba delivered ideal two-to-three feet peaks, allowing performances to intensify with every heat, pushing the level to unprecedented heights.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sierra Kerr </strong>(AUS) and <strong>Hans Odriozola</strong> (ESP) were crowned the Girl’s and Boy’s U/16 World Champions respectively, while<strong> Anon Matsuoka </strong>(JPN) and <strong>Ryan Kainalo </strong>(BRA) became the Girl’s and Boy’s U/18 World Champions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Showcasing the development of surfing throughout the world, each of the new World Champions represent a different continent; Asia, Australia, Europe and South America.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Three medals deliver Brazil first Team World Junior Championship since 2003</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After two days of dominance by Australia, host nation Brazil rose to the top of the team rankings, winning three medals in total, including Kainalo’s gold, along with bronze and copper medals respectively for <strong>Guilherme Lemos</strong> (BRA) and<strong> Ryan Coelho</strong> (BRA) in Boy’s U/16. It was the first time two Brazilians shared a Boy’s U/16 Final since 2009, when <strong>Gabriel Medina </strong>won the silver medal and <strong>Jesse Mendes</strong> won the copper in Ecuador.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The historic team victory for Brazil, the first since 2003, was also aided by the strength of their women’s team, which saw many impressive performances throughout the event.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kainalo delivered incredible moments all week, but was put to the test today. The lead shifted many times in the Final, with <strong>Francisco Ordonhas</strong> (POR) and <strong>Kai Ordriozola </strong>(ESP) each posting strong 7-point rides. An 8.07 from Odriozola swung the heat in the Spaniard’s favor, but Kainalo’s consistency paid off, with a 7.70 sealing the deal. Ordonhas claimed the silver medal, Odriozola bronze, and <strong>Tenshi Iwami </strong>(JPN) copper.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s so special for me,” Kainalo said. “I don’t have any words to say. I just want to say thank you to Team Brazil, all the guys helping us. I’m so happy.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Sierra Kerr joins prestigious list of Australian World Junior Champions</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At just 16-years-old, <strong>Sierra Kerr</strong> (AUS) is already one of the most famous surfers in the world. Today, the second-generation prodigy lived up to her potential, claiming her first World Championship and joining many fellow Australians, including<strong> Stephanie Gilmore</strong> and<strong> Tyler Wright</strong>, on a prestigious list of former WJSC gold medalists. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kerr was able to find big scores in each heat in her journey through the event, none more so than the event-high score of 9.93 that opened her Semifinal. Though the Final itself was a tighter battle, Kerr’s sharp and exciting rail surfing was able to deliver her the win over USA’s <strong>Lanea Mons</strong>, silver, and <strong>Eden Walla</strong>, bronze, and France’s <strong>Clémence Schorsch</strong> in Girl's U/16.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It feels so good,” Kerr said. “I’ve been thinking about this one since last year and this was one I really wanted to win. I was so excited to pull it off.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Hans Odriozola becomes first-ever Spanish World Junior Champion</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From day one it seemed like a foregone conclusion that 2022 Boy’s U/16 Copper Medalist <strong>Hans Odriozola</strong> (ESP) and <strong>Lukas Skinner</strong> (ENG) would face off in the Boy’s U/16 Final, a match-up that did not disappoint. While Skinner was running hot all event, today’s performances by Odriozola made it seem like he hadn’t moved into second gear for the entire rest of the event, despite posting some of the highest scores all week long. The 15-year-old Spaniard earned the highest heat total of the event in the Semifinal, claiming a 9.83 and an 8.00 for a 17.83 total.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Skinner, also 15-years-old, started strong in the Final, opening with a huge forehand air reverse for a 7.83, and was able to maintain control for much of the heat. With 45 seconds left on the clock Odriozola needed to match Skinner’s two 8-point rides with another 8 of his own. Completely calm under the pressure, Odriozola greased a super-clean forehand air reverse to win by 0.05 points and claim Spain’s first-ever WJSC gold medal. Skinner's silver medal finish was England's highest-ever WJSC placing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Japan’s first-ever girl’s gold medal won by Anon Matsuoka </strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Japan’s <strong>Anon Matsuoka </strong>has been going from strength-to-strength in her competitive surfing career and today the 18-year-old claimed her highest honor yet, Girl’s U/18 World Champion, the first Japanese woman to do so. A slow start to the Final for all four surfers, Matsuoka, <strong>Zoe Chait </strong>(USA),<strong> Candelaria Resano</strong> (NCA), and<strong> Kohai Fierro</strong> (TAH) added pressure throughout, but in the end Matsuoka was able to find the right waves to showcase her strong backhand surfing and claim the gold medal. Fierro earned silver, Resano bronze and Chait copper.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Resano’s bronze medal is the first ever ISA medal for Nicaragua. The 17-year-old’s journey to the Final in her thirteenth ISA event included earning the highest women’s heat total of the event, 17.26, in Round 5.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ISA President Fernando Aguerre </strong>said:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This week we have witnessed the future of global surfing and it is bright. Through many different conditions these talented surfers have risen to the occasion and shown us such amazing performances. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The incredible development of surfing worldwide has been on full display throughout the week, with new nations represented for the first time, teams winning historic first medals and each winner representing different continents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Congratulations to Team Brazil and to the four new World Champions and to each of the medalists. We know that one day we will see many of these surfers as Olympians, representing their nation on sport’s biggest stage.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 2023 WJSC will continue on Saturday, December 2 with the Aloha Cup at 10:00am BRT.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Team Rankings</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gold - Brazil</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Silver - USA</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bronze - Japan</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Copper - Australia</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Girl’s U/18</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gold - Anon Matsuoka (JPN)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Silver - Kohai Fierro (TAH)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bronze - Candelaria Resano (NCA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Copper - Zoe Chait (USA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Boy’s U/18</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gold - Ryan Kainalo (BRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Silver - Francisco Ordonhas (POR)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bronze - Kai Ordriozola (ESP)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Copper - Tenshi Iwami (JPN)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Girls U/16</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gold - Sierra Kerr (AUS)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Silver - Lanea Mons (USA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bronze - Eden Walla (USA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Copper - Clémence Schorsch (FRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Boy’s U/16</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gold - Hans Odriozola (ESP)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Silver - Lukas Skinner (ENG)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bronze - Guilherme Lemos (BRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Copper - Ryan Coelho (BRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>