The 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is lighting up Punta Rocas, Peru, from 5–14 December 2025. More than 420 of the world’s best junior surfers are in the water, representing a record 57 national teams.
Record field and new nations
This year sets a new participation record. Teams from Angola, India, Saint Lucia and Slovenia are competing at the event for the first time, adding fresh flags to the Parade of Nations at the Punta Rocas High Performance Center.
In total, 427 athletes are spread across four divisions: Girls U16, Boys U16, Girls U18 and Boys U18. Girls make up 43% of the field, matching last year’s equality milestone.
Pathway to the Olympic Games
The 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship is more than a youth contest. It is a clear path to the Olympic Games. Of the 72 surfers who have surfed at the Olympics so far, 59 previously competed at this event, and 32 earned ISA World Junior medals.
This year, the world’s youngest Olympic surfer, Siqi Yang (CHN), is back at the WJSC after debuting at Paris 2024 at just 15 years old.
Early standouts at Punta Rocas
The opening days brought solid Pacific swell and powerful performances. On Day 2, Bailey Turner (USA) and Will Deane (USA) set the pace for Team USA, while Alexis Owen (NZL) raised the bar in the U18 boys’ division. Finland’s Eeli Timperi started his final junior campaign in strong form, and Manoa Tarroux (VAN) made history with the first ISA heat win ever for Vanuatu.
By Day 3, eliminations began to bite. Australia’s Lucy Darragh opened her run with a powerful frontside attack, Italy’s Michael Monteiro fought back through the repechage, and Peruvian local Bastián Arevalo used home-break knowledge to rejoin the main draw. Levi Epenetos, surfing for Greece, showed a polished backhand that turned heads at Punta Rocas.
How to watch the action
Fans can follow the 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship live on the International Surfing Association website, with webcasts, results, photos and daily news updates available at isasurf.org.
