The team, managed by Isaac February and coached by Greg Emslie and David Malherbe, arrived in California late last week and has enjoyed excellent waves and conditions at the Oceanside Pier, venue for this year’s event.
With over 320 competitors from 36 countries participating, this is the biggest edition of the annual contest since the ISA Junior Championship was inaugurated as a stand-alone event in Durban in 2002. After finishing eighth, sixth and seventh in the last three years, the SA team event will be going all-out to emulate the glory days of 2011 when they finished second to hosts Peru in the team standings and returned home with four medals.
The opening ceremonies were held on Sunday. First all the teams marched down the boardwalk to the Junior Seau Oceanside Pier Amphitheatre in the colourful Parade of Nations. That was followed by the stirring Sands of the World ceremony where participants from each nation added sand from their home beaches to a special glass receptacle to symbolise the peaceful gathering of the nations of the world through surfing.
The participants were welcomed at the amphitheatre by the Dancing Cloud Singers from the San Luis Rey Mission playing ceremonial drums before speeches from dignitaries and ISA President Fernando Aguerre officially declared the event open.
