ropelled by six individual medals, including the Girls’ U-16 Gold Medal from Alyssa Spencer, Team USA narrowly held off Team Hawaii to be crowned Team World Champion at the 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Hyuga, Japan. This is only Team USA’s second Title in the history of the event, following their win in 2015.

In a dramatic Final, home nation Japan earned the first Gold Medals of the 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship on Saturday in the Aloha Cup, the ISA’s one-of-a-kind mixed-gender relay event.

Okuragahama beach provides world’s best junior surfers with excellent conditions; Japan’s Minori Kawai nears perfection with 9.97 wave score ATTENTION MEDIA: For daily photos, video highlights, and video news releases, click here. To view team standings, full results, and heat sheets, click here. Team USA held their lead on the sixth day of competition at …
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Japan’s Jin Suzuki hangs on in the single elimination Repechage Rounds to advance to Round 5, bolstering a strong start for the home nation. Photo: ISA / Ben Reed
In what is set to be a closely contested race for Gold, the defending World Champion France, Australia, and Japan trail USA, well within striking distance of Gold.

Team USA, who won the overall Gold for the first time when they hosted the event in Oceanside, California in 2015, lost only one competitor in Thursday’s Repechage Round. Their near-perfect performance was led by their U-16 sensation, Taro Watanabe, who has asserted himself as one of the true up-and-comers with the highest heat total of the event thus far (19.03) and the third highest of the day on Thursday (15.50).

VISSLA ISA World Junior Championships Updated: Saturday morning, September 28th (Local Time) Brief Overview: Minor easterly swell through Friday and the weekend. Lightest wind and cleanest conditions for the mornings.   FRIDAY 29th:  1-2’ occ 3’ faces Swell/Surf: Minimal blend of East tradeswell and fading NE windswell. Surf mainly around knee-thigh high with very occasional waist high waves (most …
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Past World Champions fall to Repechage; Australia, France, USA, Japan share lead in teams ranking ATTENTION MEDIA: For daily photos, video highlights, and video news releases, click here. To view results and heat sheets for Thursday’s competition, click here. Moody weather and upsets reigned on the fourth day of competition at the 2017 VISSLA ISA …
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11 teams remain unscathed after 56 eliminations on Day 3 of competition ATTENTION MEDIA: For daily photos, video highlights, and video news releases, click here. To view heat sheets for Wednesday’s competition, click here. Competition intensified on Tuesday at the 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship as the first surfers were eliminated from the …
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Defending U-18 World Champion Brisa Hennessy (HAW) shines with highest heat total on second day of competition ATTENTION MEDIA: For daily photos, video highlights, and video news releases, click here. To view heat sheets for Tuesday’s competition, click here. The Junior Girls got their first chance to compete and stole the show on the second …
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USA’s Taro Watanabe’s 19.03 leads flurry of excellent scores through first 60 heats of competition ATTENTION MEDIA: For daily photos, video highlights, and video news releases, click here. To view heat sheets for Monday’s competition, click here. The world’s best junior surfers put on an impressive display of world-class talent as competition got underway at …
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World’s best junior surfers to kick off competition Sunday morning at Okuragahama beach ATTENTION MEDIA: For daily photos, video highlights, and video news releases, click here. To view heat sheets for Sunday’s competition, click here. A record-breaking 41 countries officially inaugurated the 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Hyuga, Japan on Saturday afternoon. 306 …
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Opening Ceremony to inaugurate first ISA World Championship in Japan in 27 years The 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship has broken the participation record for number countries in the event’s 38-year history. 306 athletes from 41 countries will take to the water and compete in Hyuga, Japan, surpassing the mark set in 2016 …
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The world’s best junior surfers are set to gather in Japan to represent their nations and go for Gold at the 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Hyuga from September 23 – October 1. Here are the ten things you need to know about the upcoming competition: 1. The Olympics With Olympic Surfing …
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VISSLA continues strong support of ISA and junior Surfing as event’s title sponsor The International Surfing Association (ISA) is pleased to announce that the 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship will gather Surfing’s top 18 and under surfers to represent their nations and compete for Gold from September 23 to October 1 in Japan. …
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