Largest-Ever Parade of Nations Launches 2023 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Brazil

365 athletes representing 46 national teams join parade on the streets of Rio de Janeiro

ISA President Fernando Aguerre calls for peace and love in the world

The streets of Rio de Janeiro filled with the best junior surfers from across the globe as they joined together to celebrate the opening of the 2023 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC), marking the 19th edition of the event and the second time it is being held in Brazil.

The largest-ever Parade of Nations featured 365 of the world’s best junior surfers, along with over 200 team officials, representing a record-breaking 46 national teams, walking along the beachfront of Praia da Macumba with flags flying high and cheers ringing out.

Competitors from Czech Republic, Hungary and Ukraine are participating in their first-ever WJSC, while Romania is participating in its first-ever ISA event. Additionally, women make up over 44% of the field represented.

One member from each national team poured sand from their local beach into a single container for the ISA’s iconic Sands of the World ceremony, which represents the peaceful gathering of the nations of the world through surfing.

Dignitaries present included ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, Brazilian Surfing Confederation President, Flavio ‘Teco’ Padaratz, and Brazilian National Olympic Committee President, Paulo Wanderly.

ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:

“Looking at the world today, it’s very clear that what we need the most is peace. And today we are proof of peace and a better world through surfing, the united nations of surfing, all of us, all of you.

“It is my hope that in these ten days of surfing competition, friendship, camaraderie, to hate we answer with love, to violence we answer with peace, and of course we answer with surf, which is what we love.

“In 2016 here in Rio de Janeiro the International Olympic Committee declared surfing an Olympic sport. Thank you Rio. The ISA hopes that you go home as ambassadors of this wonderful, marvelous city.”

Brazilian Surfing Confederation President Flavio ‘Teco’ Padaratz said:

“I want everyone to understand the amount of passion I feel in my heart right now, the amount of happiness of bringing this all together. I personally surfed in this event twice before and it changed my life like it’s going to change your life, all of you. We are going to deliver a great event. People are going to go home and remember the great time they had here.”

The 2023 WJSC is set to begin at 7:00 am, Saturday, November 25, at Praia da Macumba.