WSL Fiji Pro inspires junior surfers

The annual World Surf League (WSL) Fiji Pro is inspiring a new generation of young Fijian surfers, allowing them to watch the world’s best compete in home waters.

The Fiji Surfing Association (FSA), the national federation and governing body for surfing, is continuing to develop pathways for young athletes from grassroots participation to elite international competition.

The pathway includes opportunities aimed at supporting Fiji’s long-term aspirations for Olympic qualification.

The FSA will send a five-athlete Junior National Team to El Salvador next month for the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championship.

The campaign will be the association’s seventh national team appearance at the ISA World Surfing Games and its fourth Junior National Team tour.

The team will be led by head coach Lesi Navuwai and team manager Michael Hill.

The five surfers are Fiji Pro wild card entrant Te’a Kurop and Havana Kurop (Wailoaloa), James Kusitano (Kulukulu), Orlando Hill (Suva) and Valerio Nawatu (Coral Coast).

FSA president Hannah Bennett said the growth of junior competitive surfing was encouraging.

“They are coming into competition with more confidence, more opportunity and, importantly, the guidance of the generation before them,” Bennett said.

“Every generation of surfers in Fiji has a role to play in creating the pathway for the next.”

The ISA World Junior Surfing Championship will give Fiji’s young surfers international competition experience and the opportunity to represent the country on the global stage.

The FSA said the continued growth of local competitions, grassroots development and Fiji’s established surfing community was helping more young athletes enter competitive surfing.

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