National Surf Teams Meet In USA Versus Australia Alliance Cup

San Juan Capistrano, Calif. - October 30, 2007 - Surfing America, the national governing body for surfing in the USA, is pleased to announce the results of a friendly scrimmage between the PacSun USA Surf Team and Team Australia, the reigning International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Surfing Champions.

"We call it the USA versus Australia Alliance Cup," said Mike Gerard, Surfing America Executive Director. "It is not so much the USA versus Australia, but two of surfing's power nations getting together for the betterment of competitive surfing. We are all trying to improve our programs and through a sharing of ideas and a positive relationship, we can elevate the level even further."

With a freshly selected PacSun USA Surf Team roster, Coach Joey Buran broke his squad into three competing teams (West #1, West #2, and East #1). They matched up in an ISA style event against the lone Aussie team during this friendly contest in Huntington Beach, CA Tuesday. The Australia National Team paid a visit to America as a sign of good faith between two prominent countries. Its members also gained valuable travel experience and Surfing Australia organizers hoped this was a sign of advancing the sport as a whole.

"The challenges that Surfing America was going through really resonated strongly with us. We thought this would really benefit Surfing America and believed the Aussie kids could really gain something out of the experience as well," said Mark Lane, Surfing Australia CEO. "The American guys really rose to the challenge today and that should help them going into France in 2008."

The scrimmage went down in chest-to-head high peaks on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier. With flags waving and rugby balls tossed around, the three American teams were able to muscle the majority of the final berths away from the World Champion Aussie squad. USA West #1 came away with first place over the Australians, while USA West #2 took third and USA East claimed fourth.

"We surfed really well today," said USA Head Coach Joey Buran. "Our goal as the PacSun USA Surf Team is a Team Gold in France. The team is the star, not the individuals and we learned that today."

The deeper meaning behind this friendly exchange was to have two leading surf nations come together to raise the over all bar for what is standard in the junior surfing world. The American kids got international competitive experience just miles from their schools. For the Aussies, a trip to the epicenter of the surf industry is always fun and they were able to strengthen friendships and line up a few travel relationships which could come into play later in their surfing careers.

"The level of surfing was amazing but this is all about developing surfers and developing relationships," said Australia Head Coach Sasha Stocker. "I think it has been a win-win for everyone and hopefully it will continue into the future."

Results of the USA vs. Australia Alliance Cup

Boys Under 18:
1) Chris Salisbury (Aus)
2) Sam Lendrom (Aus)
3) Connor Coffin (USA)
4) Ellis Erickson (Aus)

Boys Under 16:
1) Taylor Thorne (USA)
2) Kolohe Andino (USA)
3) Andrew Doheny (USA)
4) Luke Davis (USA)

Girls Under 18:
1) Demi Boelsterli (USA)
2) Sara Taylor (USA)
3) Courtney Conlogue (USA)
4) Angela Kieghran (AUS)

Source: Surfing America

>> SURF NEWS INDEX <<