New Zealand junior surf team travels to El Salvador

A strong new team has been selected for the 2022 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Junior Surfing Championships today (Tuesday, March 8). Along with Kora Cooper (Rag) returning to competition with U18 Boys, Ava Henderson (Chch) and Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) returning to U18 Girls, the Junior Surf Team sees the debut of nine of the top neo junior surfers. -zeelandish.

Veteran team member Natasha Gouldsbury returns to the Women’s Under-18 division for the final time. “I’m delighted to be chosen for the team, especially alongside three of my close friends from Taranaki.” Buoyed by great results this season, including two wins in the Billabong Grom Series, Gouldsbury says her hard work has finally paid off and she is delighted to represent New Zealand again in her final year of junior surfing. .

It will be the first time the junior team has been absent since 2019 and the first junior world championships since that year due to the ongoing global pandemic.

In the boys under 16 division, the talented awkward footballer Tao Mouldey (Mnt), after three consecutive victories in the Billabong Grom series, and the national champion of the boys under 16 division Jack Tyro (Chch) make their debut for the New Zealand junior team. “A few years ago I set myself the goal of joining the Canterbury team,” says Jack Tyro. “And to say that I have now been chosen to represent New Zealand at the ISA World Junior Championships is incredible. This will be my first time traveling to another country outside of Australia, so I am delighted and really excited about this opportunity”.

El Salvador is no stranger to high-level competition, being the last World Surfing/Olympic Games qualifier venue where Paige Hareb placed 11th in 2021. It will once again host qualifiers for the 2023 Olympics.

Ava Henderson also returns to the Women’s Under-18 Division squad alongside Liv Haysom (Piha) and Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara). Tao Mouldey (Mnt), Jack Tyro (Chch) and Spencer Rowson (Tara) represent the Boys Under 16 while Leia Millar (Piha), Pia Rogers (WGM) and Skylar McFetridge (Tara) make their division debuts girls under the age of 16. After a hard-fought New Zealand Grom Series, Finn Vette (Gis), Kora Cooper and Kalani Louis (Tara) will represent the Under 18 Boys division.

The team will compete in the Surf City El Salvador 2022 World Junior Surfing Championships from May 27 to June 5. New Zealand has been represented at the ISA World Junior Championships since 2003, when the junior divisions were separated from the World Surfing Games. Prior to that time, the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team had competed in World Grommet Titles since its inception in 1989.

The championship is the largest junior surfing event in the world, hosting over 340 surfers from 44 nations in 2022.

The 2022 New Zealand Junior Surf Team is as follows:

Boys Under 18 Division
Finn Vette (Gis)
Kalani Louis (Tara)
Kora Cooper (Rag)

Non-Roaming Reserve: Tyler Perry (Kaik)

Girls Under 18 Division
Ava Henderson (Chch)
Liv Haysom (Piha)
Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara)

Non-Travelling Reserve: Anna Brock (Mnt)

Boys Under 16 Division
Jack Tyro (Chch)
Spencer RowsonTara
Tao Moldey (Montreal)

Non-traveling reserve: Rakiatea Tau (Chch)

Girls Under 16 Division
Leia Millar (Piha)
Pia Rogers (WGM)
Skylar McFetridgeTara

Non-travelling reserve: Sophia Brock (Mnt)

About the International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the global governing authority for surfing, bodyboarding, SUP and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has organized world championships since 1964 and world junior championships since 1980.

Further information
For more information on the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team, please contact Ben Kennings of Surfing New Zealand on 021 2278732 or email [email protected]
Imagery High resolution action images of team members will be made available free of charge to media upon request.

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Author: Dan Westerkamp