Jani Pušič is a 17-year-old surfer competing for Slovenia in his first ISA World Junior Surfing Championship. Born and raised in Canada to a family with strong Slovenian roots, Jani grew up surrounded by Slovenian culture, traditions, and community life. His grandparents immigrated from Slovenia to Canada, and he has carried that identity proudly throughout his life. Jani began surfing only four years ago, after his family moved to Panama. With warm water, consistent conditions, and access to a variety of waves, surfing quickly became his passion. He now trains daily at Rio Mar and has grown rapidly in skill and competitiveness. Jani will compete in the Under-18 division and is one of the first surfers ever to represent Slovenia at this event. His goal is to surf his absolute best and proudly introduce Slovenia to the world stage of competitive surfing.

My name is Alina Pusic, and I’m 16 years old. I was born and raised in Canada, but Slovenia has always been a big part of my life. My grandparents are from Slovenia, and I grew up surrounded by Slovenian culture. Four years ago, my family moved to Panama, where I discovered surfing and quickly fell in love with it. Since then, I’ve competed in some national competitions in Panama. I’m incredibly proud to be the first Slovenian junior surfer to compete in the ISA World Junior Championship.