The 2025 World Junior Surfing Championships Are Stacked

I don’t know if Urbiztondo Beach knows what’s coming. This weekend, 48 of the best 20-and-under surfers will descend upon the right-hand break in the Philippines for the 2025 WSL World Junior Champion. The event will run from January 11 to 18, and the talent pool is as deep as you’ll ever find in a junior event.

The field of 24 men and 24 women from 16 countries was decided by the rankings from each of the seven WSL regions on the Junior Tour. Much of the draw is a heaping of wildcards (16 spots) for those who have logged heats on the 2025 Challenger Series and Qualifying Series. 

Let’s talk favorites. For my money, Dane Henry isn’t just one of the best 19-year-olds in the mix. He’s one of the best surfers in Australia, period. The guy has landed backflips in heats multiple times and has claimed ISA world championships at the junior and open level with mature, no-frills rail surfing. Only three other surfers have ever won both events: Tom Curren, Gabriel Medina, and Jordy Smith. Dane’s got Mick Fanning on speed dial, and I don’t see him missing out on at least a finals day appearance. Although his compatriots Hughie Vaughan and Lennix Smith are no pushovers, either. And Indonesia’s Dylan Wilcoxen lives on the very waves I dream about at Kandui. The kid is the real deal. 

On the women’s side, it’s hard to look past Sierra Kerr. A perennial threat in waves big and small. She’s won this event before (in 2023, in Oceanside). Sierra had a rollercoaster of a year in 2025, Her health took a dive for much of the season after she contracted Lyme disease, and yet she still surfed on the CS and came up clutch to win her fourth Stab High in Sydney. If anyone can grit through a heat, it’s Sierra. But don’t sleep on Hawaiian goofyfoot Vaihitimahana Inso. She’s dynamic and sharp on the rail. Oh, and there’s Championship Tour surfer Bella Kenworthy in the mix, too. 

2025 WSL World Junior Championships Surfers

Africa

Connor Slijpen (RSA)

Emily Jenkinson (RSA)

Ben Esterhuyse (RSA)

Anastasia Venter (RSA)

Asia

Ikko Watanabe (JPN)

Anon Matsuoka (JPN)

Riki Sato (JPN)

Sumomo Sato (JPN)

Australia/Oceania

Dane Henry (AUS)

Isla Huppatz (AUS)

Willem Watson (AUS)

Stella Green (AUS)

Europe

Alfonso Suarez (ESP)

Maria Salgado (POR)

Conor Donegan dos Santos (ESP)

Carla Morera de la Vall (ESP)

Hawaii/Tahiti Nui

Oliver Zietz (HAW)

Skai Suitt (HAW)

Kingston Panebianco (HAW)

Vaihitimahana Inso (HAW)

Latin America

Rickson Falcão (BRA)

Catalina Zariquiey (PER)

Ryan Kainalo (BRA)

Luara Mandelli (BRA)

North America

Will Deane (USA)

Zoey Kaina (USA)

Nadav Attar (ISR)

Reid Van Wagoner (USA)

Event Wildcards

Winter Vincent (AUS)

Sierra Kerr (AUS)

Keoni Lasa (EUK)

Bella Kenworthy (USA)

Lucas Cassity (MEX)

Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK)

Hughie Vaughan (AUS)

Laura Raupp (BRA)

Gabriel Klaussner (BRA)

Arena Rodriguez (PER)

Lennix Smith (AUS)

Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK)

Lukas Skinner (GBR)

Mirai Ikeda (JPN)

Dylan Wilcoxen (IDN)

Talia Swindal (USA)

Philippines Wildcards

Troy Espejon (PHL)

Mara Lopez (PHL)

Toby Espejon (PHL)

Cathleya Casals (PHL)