The top junior surfers from around the world are gathering in Oceanside, California. Starting tomorrow, the waiting period begins for the WSL’s 2023 SAMBAZON World Junior Championships Hosted by Best Western. The event window goes from January 9 through January 14. In the competition, the top two men and two women from each of the WSL’s seven regions will compete along with 10 wildcards. The winners earn a spot on the 2024 Challenger Series.
At the top of the pack in the women’s competition is Erin Brooks. Despite some recent shakeups regarding her eligibility to compete as a Canadian, this has been a banner year for the young phenom. She has secured two WSL victories: one at the Hawaiian Islands HIC Haleiwa Pro and another at the Corona Saquarema Pro Challenger Series event. Now she’s looking to add the world title to her belt and secure a spot on the 2024 Challenger Series.
“I’m really excited to compete in the World Junior Championships again and I’m excited it’s in Oceanside,” said Brooks to the WSL. “I’ve spent a lot of time here so I’m really confident at the wave and hopefully I can put on a good performance. I’m honored to be among so many amazing up-and-coming surfers. If I were to win it’d give me the confidence to try and make the CT and hopefully win world titles some day.”
Meanwhile, Encinitas, California’s Levi Slawson has been having his own run of success on the men’s side. He secured his first WSL victory at the SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach Pro Junior and his second at the Live Like Zander Junior Pro in Loving Memory of Zander Venezia. That was followed by two Qualifying Series victories and a string of top five results that landed him at the top of the North American QS rankings.
“I’m super psyched to be competing in Oceanside, it’s close to where I grew up in Encinitas and I’ve spent a lot of time there, so I’m really looking forward to it,” said Slawson. “Last year I came really close and I really want to win the event. I really want to have that World Junior title under my belt. And the winner goes straight to the Challenger Series, so that would be a nice bonus. But more importantly just winning close to home. I lived in Oceanside for about a year or two so I know the place really well and I’m excited to see everybody there and have the opportunity to show my surfing again.”
Below are the heats for the opening rounds:
Men’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Jackson Bunch (HAW), Tenshi Iwami (JPN), Ilay Bochan (ISR)
HEAT 2: Jett Schilling (USA), Adur Amatriain (EUK), Luke Brumby (AUS)
HEAT 3: Levi Slawson (USA), Marlon Harrison (AUS), Luc Lepront (RSA)
HEAT 4: Jarvis Earle (AUS), Reed Platenius (CAN), Yuma Nagasawa (JPN)
HEAT 5: Joel Vaughan (AUS), Brodi Sale (HAW), Moonjo Yahagi (JPN)
HEAT 6: Luke Thompson (RSA), Ryan Kainalo (BRA), Mitch Du Preez (RSA)
HEAT 7: Shion Crawford (HAW), Heitor Mueller (BRA), Harley Walters (AUS)
HEAT 8: Leo Casal (BRA), Taj Lindblad (USA), Sam Piter (FRA)
Women’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Bella Kenworthy (USA), Talia Swindal (USA), Keira Buckpitt (AUS)
HEAT 2: Ellie Harrison (AUS), Louise Lepront (RSA), Kalea Gervasi (PER)
HEAT 3: Erin Brooks (CAN), Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK), Cocona Kawase (JPN)
HEAT 4: Sierra Kerr (AUS), Anastasia Venter (RSA), Sky Brown (GBR)
HEAT 5: Zahli Kelly (AUS), Nora Liotta (HAW), Noah Klapp (DEU)
HEAT 6: Zoe Benedetto (USA), Eweleiula Wong (HAW), Kana Nakashio (JPN)
HEAT 7: Sol Aguirre (PER), Laura Rapp (BRA), Isabelle Nalu (BRA)
HEAT 8: Nanaho Tsuzuki (JPN), Sophia Medina (BRA), Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK)
The event will be streamed live here.
