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.
Surf City El Salvador – May 2, 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
