Jaffle Shack Oceania Junior World Wave Grand Final, Australia
Some of the world’s best junior windsurfers have arrived in Geraldton, Western Australia, as preparations begin for the Junior World Wave Championship Grand Final, which is the first time the prestigious event has ever been hosted in Australia and runs between 10th-18th January. International attention is firmly on Geraldton, with elite youth competitors from Japan, Europe and Australia converging on the region to train ahead of the title showdown.
Team Japan has sent three of its top youth athletes, including Asia’s number one junior girl, Natsuki Wakasa (Goya Windsurfing), 17, and Asia’s number one junior boy, Ryoma Sugi (Duotone Windsurfing / North Sails), 16. Sugi is no stranger to world titles, having claimed the U15 World Wave Championship in 2023.
Sugi headed up to Geraldton on Tuesday, saying: “I’m really happy and excited to be in Geraldton. It’s an honour to compete in the World Grand Final and I’m grateful for this opportunity. Becoming world champion would be a dream come true and would motivate me to keep improving and pushing myself. It’s fun to learn from each other and share the stoke for windsurfing together.”
In the boys’ division, Sugi faces strong competition from Europe’s top-ranked junior Javier Escribano, 16, (Goya Windsurfing) and Australia’s number one junior Tyler Wallrodt (Severne Windsurfing), 17, in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive field.
The girls’ division will see Australia’s top-ranked junior Sarah Kenyon (Severne Windsurfing), 17, competing on home waters in Geraldton, where she is considered a favourite. However, she will face fierce opposition from the hard-charging Japanese girls, Wakasa and Nozome Sakai, as well as upcoming Perth riders, such as Ines Callenaere (13 years) and Thura Van Essen (15 years).
“I’m pretty excited because I’m getting to meet the new generation of young windsurfing girls and I get to make friends with them,” says an enthusiastic Kenyon. “The competition encourages me because there are more girls and they are trying new things and that makes me want to try new things too.”
Geraldton is renowned globally for its consistent wind and powerful waves, with forecasts predicting ideal competition conditions throughout the event window. Competition heats will be run on windy afternoons from 10th–18th January 2026, with potential locations including Sunset Beach, Coronation Beach and Oakajee River Mouth.
In addition to the World Championship, a Junior Windsurf Training Camp will run alongside the event and is open to all youths aged between 8-20 years-old, catering to beginners through to elite-level sailors. Participants will receive coaching from some of the sport’s top athletes, including 2025 U21 World Champion Jake Ghiretti (Severne Windsurfing) from Margaret River.
The event marks a major milestone for Australian windsurfing and cements Geraldton’s reputation as one of the world’s premier wave-sailing destinations. The event is supported by City of Greater Geraldton and the State Government of Western Australia through Tourism WA and Royalties for Regions.
To stay up to date with the Junior World Wave Grand Final you can also follow their dedicated event pages:
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