The New Zealand Junior Surfing Team head into the final day of the 2024 ISA World Junior Surfing Championships with one surfer remaining in the event – Dunedin’s Alexis Owen, who will contest the Under 16 Boys Division.

Alexis advanced through his matchup overnight to stay in the main event draw and guarantee a top six finish at the event. 

Alexis’s two team mates could not replicate his performance with Tai Murphy from Ohope and Alani Morse from Raglan bowing out of the event.

New Zealand is ranked eleventh going into the final day of the event with Australia holding a commanding lead over Hawaii and France who round out the top three.

The penultimate day of the event was held in 1.0m – 1.5m waves with a strong cross shore wind impacting conditions from early in the morning at Surf City, El Salvador.

Alexis ground out his heat progression in a low scoring affair. He got off to an early start which proved valuable in the later stages of the heat as he put pressure on his opponents who fell on waves and high scoring opportunities became few and far between. 

Alexis was able to build a heat total of 9.13 which was enough for second place behind his Spanish counterpart, together the two eliminating surfers from Australia and Argentina.

“To be honest the heat didn’t go to plan at all, but I managed to get some mid-range scores which were enough.  Waves were a lot different to how they looked on the beach,” says Alexis.

“I still have more left in the tank for the next heat and the final so will keep pushing until it’s over."

Alexis is eyeing up a podium finish on the final day of the event on Monday morning.

Alexis has one more heat to advance through to make the final and should he lose that heat, he has another life in the repechage rounds.

Tai Murphy pre repechage heat. Photo: ISA / Pablo Franco.

Alani Morse finished third in her Under 16 Girls Division heat losing to two French surfers ending her campaign with her personal best performance of 17th equal.

“I am pretty stoked on the result but know I have more in me,” says Alani.

“I was getting chased down by the two French girls and ended up falling on my back up wave.  By the end of the heat, I was so exhausted and was trying to get away from them and sadly didn’t get another opportunity."

Alani will return to New Zealand knowing what she needs to do to achieve greater results in the future.

Tai Murphy was the third Kiwi in action and he finished 17th equal in the Under 18 Boys Division.

Tai surfed to a 6.27 point ride early in the heat and waited for the right opportunity to stamp his mark on the heat but that opportunity never arose and he ended with a 9.27 point heat total, his last wave short of the 3.9 points required to advance deeper into the event.

Day 9 Heat Times (NZ Time)
2.20am – Alexis Owen – Under 16 Boys Main Event Round 6
*Further heats subject to progressions

Livestream: https://isasurf.org/event/2024-surf-city-el-salvador-isa-world-junior-surfing-championship/

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.

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