New Participation Record Set as Angola, India, Saint Lucia, and Slovenia Join for First Time a Total of 57 National Teams
Punta Rocas, Peru – December 5, 2025
Today, an incredible 424 of the world’s best junior surfers marched in a Parade of Nations along the boardwalk of the Punta Rocas High Performance Center to join in celebrating the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (WJSC). Held at the iconic break of Punta Rocas, the event will begin competition tomorrow, December 6, and run until December 14.
Representatives from a record 57 national teams make up the massive numbers. Members from each nation joined in the traditional ISA Sands of the World ceremony, pouring sand from their home beaches into one container as a symbol of the peaceful gathering of nations of the world through surfing.
Four teams — Angola, India, Saint Lucia, and Slovenia — are present to compete in the WJSC for the first time. For Saint Lucia, one of the newest ISA member nations, it is their first-ever ISA participation.
The athletes gathered were represented on stage by Australia Team Captain Milla Coco Brown (AUS), who swore an oath of good sportsmanship alongside ISA Judge Jacqueline Silva. Also present on stage were National Director of Recreation and Promotion of Sport for the IPD, Jose Luis Casas, FENTA President, Elfri Alfonso Navarrete Narro, and ISA Vice Presidents, Karin Sierralta and Jean-Luc Arassus.
Ten former medalists were amongst the large crowd, including 2024 U/16 World Champions Ziggy Aloha Mackenzie (AUS) and Dylan Donegan (ESP), who will both compete in the U/18 division for the first time. Two-time U/16 medalists Clémence Schorsch (FRA) and Lukas Skinner (ENG) were also present, more determined than ever to claim gold as they debut in the U/18 division.
The WJSC has established itself as a proven pathway to the Olympic Games — of the 72 surfers to have competed at the Olympics so far, 59 previously participated in the event, with 32 earning ISA World Junior medals. This year, the youngest Olympic surfer, Siqi Yang (CHN), will make history as the first current Olympian to return to the WJSC after competing in Paris 2024 at just 15-years-old.
The ceremony closed with a display of the traditional caballitos de totora being ridden in the waves of Punta Rocas, recognizing the long history of surfing in Peru.
ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said:
“Punta Rocas is a very special and historical place for the ISA. It has hosted ISA World Surfing Championships since 1965, almost from the beginning of our history. I’m very, very happy to see this record amount of countries, a record amount of participants between surfers and their support teams — there’s almost 700 people in Peru. This is amazing. This is a show of the force, the incredible popularity, and the incredible moment of junior surfing around the world.
“I would like to thank our host, FENTA, the Peruvian Institute of Sports, and in general the government of Peru and the people of Peru for such an amazing hosting of this event. Enjoy the waves, reconnect with old friends, and make new ones. That is the true spirit of the ISA World Championships.”
Competition will begin tomorrow, Saturday, December 6, at 7:00 a.m. PET with U/18 Girls Main Round 1 at Punta Rocas and U/16 Boys Main Round 1 at El Bosque.
