Nova Scotia surfer bags scholarship

South Shore surfer Isaac Norman is one of 40 surfers from around the world to be awarded a scholarship grant from the International Surfing Association (ISA).

The 40 recipients were announced at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in Ecuador on Wednesday.

This is the third year the ISA has run the Individual Scholarship Program. The program started in 2007 with only five grants awarded. The next year, it expanded to 20 scholarships.

For 2009, the ISA doubled the number of recipients, issuing 40 scholarships to under-18 junior surfers from 22 countries. The ISA received over 80 applications from 24 countries for this year’s program.

“I believe the Scholarship is a huge step forward by the ISA in areas of the world where we can never do enough,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre.

“Together, we are supporting the dreams and hopes of good students who are also good surfers. We went from five to 40 scholarships in three years and we’re hoping to reach 100 in a couple of years.”

Support for the scholarships is being provided by the Quiksilver Foundation, Billabong, Reef Redemption and Global Surf Industries Inc.

After careful review by the Scholarship Selection Committee, the ISA selected the following scholarship recipients:

Brian Masmut – Argentina
Martín Carricart – Argentina
Joaquín Castanon – Argentina
Dominic Reisch – Australia
Amiya Doyle – Australia
Ametza Nicholls – Barbados
Jade Niccols – Barbados
Jordan Heaselgrave – Barbados
Victor Bernardo – Brazil
Isaac Norman – Canada
Tomás Villegas – Chile
Camilo Hernández – Chile
Manuel Mesen – Costa Rica
Alberto Muñoz – Costa Rica
Carlos Muñoz – Costa Rica
Roberto Rodriguez – Ecuador
Brandon García – Guatemala
Freddy Morales – Guatemala
Henry Rivera – Guatemala
Garren Pryce – Jamaica
Leon McKenzie – Jamaica
Nao Omura – Japan
Arashi Kato – Japan
Aman Ashraf – Maldives
Itzel García – Mexico
Jayda Martin Fitzharris – New Zealand
Joaquín del Castillo – Perú
Juninho Urcia – Perú
Miguel Tudela – Perú
Pedro Alcobia – Portugal
Christian Rivera – Puerto Rico
Brandon Benjamin – South Africa
Bright Ntuli – South Africa
Khaye Ngcobo – South Africa
Lucía Martino – Spain
Darío Jordan – Trinidad
James Philips – Trinidad
Federico Longo – Uruguay
Christian Arballo – USA
Demi Boelsteri – USA