Hawaii's Keanu Asing Wins Gold at the Quicksilver Isa World Junior Surfing Championship

(Salinas, Ecuador) - In a dramatic comeback, Hawaii’s Keanu Asing, 15, fought through the repechage rounds to claim gold in the coveted Under 16 Boys division of the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championship in Ecuador today. Alessa Quizon took the fourth place copper medal in the Under 18 Girls; Dylan Goodale won copper in the Under 18 Boys; and Team Hawaii finished second overall to Australia to claim silver. The Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships is the pinnacle of the sport of surfing for competitors under 18 years of age.

A 10th grade home-schooler in the Elite Element Academy system who maintains a 3.0 average, Asing set his career road map on course last May, on his 15th birthday. His goals were to win the NSSA Nationals in California, an international Pro Junior in Bali, US Championship titles in both the Under 16 and Under 18 divisions, and to qualify for the Quiksilver ISA Championships through the local Hard Rock Café Surf Series. He achieved all, topping it with his ultimate crowning moment today. It’s a solid step toward his lifetime goal of becoming world surfing champion.

The Under 16 division was stacked with talent this year and the battle for gold could easily have gone to any one of the top 16 qualifiers from Brazil, USA, Costa Rica, Peru, South Africa and Hawaii. It was the most closely contested of all the divisions.

Asing was heavily tested along the way having been relegated to the repechage rounds midway through the competition. Coming down to the final heats he adjusted his focus, gave it all he had, and made it clear he planned on going home as the 2009 ISA World Junior Champion.

In the final heat, Gabriel Medina from Brazil fought hard, getting within 0.16 of a point of Asing. Medina also had the highest single-wave score of the heat with a 9.52, but was unable to overtake Asing despite a combined score of 17.38. South African David Brand came in third, needing nearly a perfect 10 for first. Brazilian Jesse Mendes finished fourth. In a great show of sportsmanship, all four surfers embraced and congratulated each other after the heat.

“This is the biggest thing I have ever won,” said Asing. “I am so stoked to have pulled through the repechages. I think the loss in round four actually helped me. It made me more charged up and more focused. I knew I had to get good waves because every heat could have been my last. Coming to Ecuador has been an incredible experience.”

Back at home in Ewa, Keanu’s family is also celebrating having woken up at 3am every day of the eight-day event to watch his progress.

“Keanu plans on just taking his time,” says his father Tommy. “He doesn’t plan on doing any of the pro events until he’s really consistent at this junior level. He’s going to take his time and prepare for that level of competition.

“He’s still a young boy. He’s just 15 years old. He’s still enjoying being a kid. He’s got two more years of school left and he’ll be doing as many amateur events as he can during that time.”

In the overall team division, Australia claimed gold, 2005 ISA World Junior Champions, Hawaii, received silver, Brazil took bronze, and USA copper. France placed fifth overall, South Africa sixth, New Zealand seventh, Tahiti, Peru and Costa Rica came in eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.

In the Boys Under 18 final heat, Hawaii’s Dylan Goodale took fourth behind Dean Bowen (Australia), Miguel Pupo (Brazil), and Maxime Huscenot (France).

In the Under 18 Girls Final, Hawaii’s Alessa Quizon placed fourth in the final behind Australians Tyler Wright and Laura Enever, and USA surfer Courtney Conlogue.

The day concluded with the official medal ceremony with the crowning of the 2009 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Champions. “This is where we show the world that the Olympics of surfing are for real,” said ISA president Fernando Aguerre before the medals were awarded and the national anthems of the winning teams were played. “Muchas, gracias, Ecuador!”

For full results from the 2009 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship and to see photo highlights and on-demand video, visit www.quiksilver.com/isa.