URBIZTONDO BEACH, San Juan, La Union, Philippines (Thursday, October 31, 2024) - Today, the World Surf League (WSL) has announced that the 2024 World Junior Championships will be held at La Union in the Philippines for the first time in its history. The Point at Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan, will play as the primary location for the event, which will run from January 13 - 19, 2025.
The 2024 WSL World Junior Championships Presented by Tourism Promotions Board Philippines will feature 24 men and 24 women, aged 20-years and under, who will qualify from seven different regions around the world on their quest to become the 2024 WSL World Junior Champions. Competitors will be treated to a super fun, high-performance right-hand point break at Urbiztondo Beach, which has hosted multiple WSL events over the last two years.
"The World Junior Championship is one of the most prestigious single events on the World Surf League calendar," said WSL Commissioner Jessi Miley-Dyer. "It is an elite event to win and gives the world a true look at who could be contesting World Titles on the Championship Tour in the future. It also gives the field of up-and-coming junior talent an amazing introduction to competing one-on-one in a CT format on the world stage. Competing in and winning this event is still one of the highlights of my professional surfing career."
"The World Surf League is extremely excited to bring the World Junior Championships to the Philippines," said WSL APAC President Andrew Stark. "We look forward to seeing it contested at a new location in 2025. The waves in La Union are super high-performance and will suit the exciting brand of surfing the world's best juniors will bring. The WSL would like to thank the Philippines Tourism Promotions Board for their support ahead of this event."
Seen as one of the most significant events to win in the career of a young Pro Junior, victory at the WSL World Junior Championship Philippines will see a competitor join the likes of Joel Parkinson (AUS), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Andy Irons (HAW), Gabriel Medina (BRA), as well as recent WSL Championship Tour qualifier and Olympian Vahine Fierro (FRA).
"Hosting a major international surfing event is a significant milestone for the Philippines," said Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, COO of Tourism Promotions Board Philippines. "It not only highlights the beauty of our coastline but it serves as a major tourism boost. It also acts as a catalyst for the development of the sport in the Philippines. Filipino Junior surfers will have the invaluable opportunity to compete alongside and learn from some of the best in the world. This competition reinforces La Union's status as a premier surfing destination and the Philippines' position on the global surfing map. Beyond the thrill of the event, we are excited about the opportunities it presents for boosting tourism, supporting local businesses, and instilling national pride as we showcase Filipino surf culture to the world."
The 24 men and 24 women competitors will represent each of the seven WSL regions, including Australia / Oceania, Asia, Africa, Europe, Hawaii / Tahiti Nui, North America, and South America. Each regional series will decide two women and two men, with each region being awarded a wildcard, with two wildcard spots going to the host nation of the Philippines.
The 2024 WSL World Junior Championships Philippines will be held at The Point at Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan, Philippines, from January 13 to 19, 2025. Following the completion of the Junior Qualifying Season in the Asia and Australia / Oceania regions, the full list of regional qualifiers will be decided in the coming months.