The New Zealand Junior Surfing Team has placed tenth at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship with Tayla Green ending her campaign in seventh place on the final day of the event.

Host nation Brazil won the event ahead of USA, Japan and Australia.

The final day, on Friday December 1, Brazil time, played out at Praia da Macumba, Rio de Janeiro in 1.0m waves with the small increase in swell offering up clean shore break conditions.

Tayla found herself in a tough quarterfinal match up against eventual Under 18 Girls Division winner Anon Matsuoka (JPN) and third placed surfer Candelaria Resano (NCA) who ultimately advanced through to the semifinals ahead of Green and fourth placed Tiara Van Der Huls (NED).

Tayla was in contention throughout the heat but was on the wrong side of priority when the bigger set waves came, and she found herself having to hunt points on the smaller waves that came through. 

With a 5.5 point ride in her scoreline, Tayla was left chasing a 6.91 point ride but her opponents kept close contact in the dying stages to prevent her from catching further waves.

“In the heat today, I just wasn’t on the best waves and I needed one wave to give me some sections, but I fought all the way to the end,” says Tayla. 

“The takeaways for future competition will be confidence, self-belief and just being inspired by all the amazing performances of the surfers here this week.

“I put together some good heats this week, we had amazing coaching from Matt, Kahn and Michelle.  The self-belief that these coaches gave me, made my job a lot easier and I am proud of my result here in Brazil."

Anon Matsuoka won the Under 18 Girls Division and was joined by Brazil’s Ryan Kainalo in the boys.

In the Under 16 Divisions, Australia Sierra Kerr won the girls and Spain’s Hans Odriozola won the boys.

Overall Standings

1, Brazil, 6,125
2, USA, 5,920
3, Japan, 5,850
4, Australia, 5,848
5, Spain, 5,708
6, Portugal, 5,383
7, France, 5,018
8, Hawaii, 4,955
9, Peru, 4,088
10, New Zealand, 3,985

Under 18 Boys Division
1, Ryan Kainalo (BRA)
2, Francisco Ordonhas (POR)
3, Kai Odriozola (ESP)
4, Tenshi Iwami (JPN)
25, Spencer Rowson (NZL)
49, Navryn Malone (NZL)
65, Kalani Louis (NZL)

Under 16 Boys Division
1, Hans Odriozola (ESP)
2, Lukas Skinner (ENG)
3, Guilherme Lemos (BRA)
4, Ryan Coelho (BRA)
33, Alexis Owen (NZL)
49, Tao Mouldey (NZL)
65, Theo Morse (NZL)

Under 18 Girls Division
1, Anon Matsuoka (JPN)
2, Kohai Fierro (TAH)
3, Candelaria Resano (NCA)
4, Zoe Chait (USA)
7, Tayla Green (NZL)
13, Pia Rogers (NZL)
25, Anna Brock (NZL)

Under 16 Girls Division
1, Sierra Kerr (AUS)
2, Lanea Mons (USA)
3, Eden Walla (USA)
4, Clemence Schorsch (FRA)
13, Leia Millar (NZL)
19, Lola Groube (NZL)
37, Alani Morse (NZL)

The championship is the largest junior surfing event in the world playing host to over 365 surfers from 46 nations in 2023.  The divisions contested are Under 18 and Under 16 Boys and Girls.

About International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding, SUP and surfriding.  It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964, and the Junior World Championships since 1980.