The hosts, USA, won the coveted ISA World Junior Team Trophy for the first time since the ISA junior worlds were inaugurated as a stand-alone event in Durban in 2002. The winners accumulated 7 536 points from the results of their 12 person team, well ahead of runners-up France with 6 565.
Defending team champions Hawaii clinched the bronze medal this year followed by Australia, Japan, Portugal, South Africa and Costa Rica. The top eight teams in the final standings qualify for the Aloha Cup tag-team event at the next edition of the event in the Azores in September 2016.
Italy’s Leonardo Fioravanti won the Boys’ U18 division, earning a perfect 10 point ride in the final and then adding a near-perfect 9.23 for the highest heat total of the entire event – 19.23 out of 20.
France’s Tessa Thyssen took the gold medal in the Girls’ U18’s, USA’s Stevie Pittman prevailed in the Boys’ U16 final and Hawaii’s Summer Macedo clinched the Girls’ U16 title.
Team captain Shane Sykes (Salt Rock) was SA’s top performer, advancing to the Main Event semi-finals before dropping in the Repercharge Rounds where he was eventually eliminated in ninth place overall in the division.
