We all witnessed what West Coast surfer Pete Devries did at the recent international surfing event in Tofino, BC. The 26-year-old Canadian surprised the surfing world by winning the O’Neill Cold Water Classic.
Four young East Coast surfers dream of one day accomplishing similar feats. Those four kids hope to begin pursuing that dream in January at the 2010 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in New Zealand.
The four kids hoping to compete include South Shore surfers Connor Marsh, Isaac Norman and Jacob Albury, and Halifax-area surfer Kris Rambeau. All four were chosen by the Canadian Surfing Association (CSA) to wear the Maple Leaf at the upcoming international contest.
Albury recently finished first in the boys division of the Shut Up and Surf Classic contest held in Cow Bay last month; Norman finished second followed by Rambeau. Both Norman and Marsh represented Canada at the 2007 World Juniors in Portugal.
Getting to the other side of the globe is obviously very costly and all four kids are looking for funding and donations to help get them there.
Albury and his family have set up a website to help generate donations. On the site, you can find out more about Jacob as well as information about where to send donations. The other three surfers are also looking for donations. Those interested in donating can send cheques to:
Canadian Surfing Association
2 Hallmark Crescent
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
B2V 1Z9
Those who would like more information about donating can contact Canadian Surfing Association President John Fluke at jfluke@ns.sympatico.ca or (902) 488-4252.
If all four boys are able to raise enough money to get to New Zealand, Albury, Norman and Marsh will compete in the under-18 category, while Rambeau will compete in the under-16 category.
In 2007, Mazada Canada helped get Canadian surfers to the World Juniors in Portugal. However, last year the company was forced to pull its funding due to the economic downturn. As a result, there were no East Coast Canadian surfers at the 2009 World Juniors in Ecuador.
Four West Coast surfers – Kye and Janek Peladeau, Frazer Mayor and Simon Bauer – did manage to get to the 2009 event. Unfortunately, it does not appear as though any West Coast surfers will compete at this year’s World Juniors.
Besides the four East Coasters, a 12-year-old Canadian surfer who lives with his parents in Mexico may also represent Canada at this year’s contest. More on this later.
