Age and experience may be seen as the best defense against rough seas, but these young surfers are defying that notion. They are proving that they can climb to the top of the surfing world, whether they’re in their early 20s or just 15 years old. Among these young talents are Joan Anca, Erin Brooks, and Vahine Fierro. Skilled, ambitious, and fearless against even the biggest waves, they will undoubtedly turn heads at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and beyond.
To witness their skills in action, you can watch the 2023 ISA Worlds live streamed by Olympic.com from Surf City, El Salvador, from May 30 to June 7. Here, you can witness Olympic medalists and world champions in action, including Joao Chianca, the 22-year-old Brazilian surfer who has quickly risen to fame and emerged as one of Brazil’s top contenders for Paris 2024.
Erin Brooks is another young talent who is making waves in the surfing world. At just 15 years old, she will become a major sensation in 2022 as the first woman to perform aerial maneuvers on a surfboard. She made history by winning the women’s U-16 category at the 2022 ISA World Junior Championships in El Salvador, becoming Canada’s first junior medalist in the sport. Despite growing up in Texas and only stepping onto a surfboard for the first time at age nine, Brooks has shown incredible dedication and natural talent, making her a hot topic among seasoned surfers.
Lastly, Vahine Fiero is a 23-year-old surfer from Tahiti who knows the infamous giant swells of Teaupo well. Despite the trepidation of many surfers, Fiero hopes that the waves at the Olympics will be just as tough. She plans to move back to her home island next summer in the hopes of gaining a home surf advantage. Fiero started surfing when she was just two years old and battled the waves in Tahiti daily. Her competitive edge was honed at age 14 when she first entered the world of competitive surfing, leading to her unexpected junior title in 2018 and her journey to the World Championship Tour. With her local knowledge of Tahitian waves and her intrepid attitude, Fierro will be one to watch in the 2024 Olympics.