The Youngest CT Rookie Wins The World Juniors Pro

When you qualify for the CT while still surfing in the Juniors division, you damn well better win the Juniors World Championships. Ethan Ewing, the youngest CT qualifier and Junior World Champ has had a prophet-like season, the kid’s steamed through the QS and Juniors, snagged a Stab cover story and has brought on comparisons to his rail revelling in the legend of Andy Irons. In January he came into the 2016 season with hopes of tallying up enough points to earn seeds into the QS 10,000’s, and by the end of the Triple Crown, Ethan found himself number two on the QS with a slot in the big dance. Right now he’s the hottest blonde head to come out of Straddie. 

Ethan’s gotten rather comfortable atop shoulders as of recent.

The surf – unsurprisingly – at the Juniors Championship at Kiama was small, and Ethan utilised his power to displace his way into the finals where he surfed against San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto. The surf dropped, and the final was rather unexciting; Ethan won with an 11.34 to Griff’s 1.97. Mr Ewing’s consistency through events this year has led him to the highest pillar of the freshly 18-year-old’s career. After he, during the Australian leg, won four-straight pro junior events and a QS 1,000 he headed to the world stage to compete in the high tiered QS’s. His second place finish at the Vans US Open of Surf in August brought him to number six on the QS. His tires continued to burn, and his quarterfinal finishes in the HIC Pro and the first two stops of The Triple Crown awarded him rookie of the year and a spot on the CT. 

“This has been such an incredible season for me,” Ethan told the WSL. “I’ve worked really hard to get here but I never imagined I’d be where I am.” So the next question is: Will Ethan be able to hack it with the world’s best, or will he sparkle out and revert to the QS grovel in 2018? 

This was Macy’s first appearance in a World Juniors Championship. Think it’s safe to say we’ll being seeing more of the young lady in the New Year?

On the female side, Australia’s Macy Callaghan took the Juniors world title, resulting in the two title holders wrapped the Union Jack and stars flag. Macy, at 16 has two more years in the Juniors field. “Pro surfing is in good hands,” Luke Egan echoed from the commentary booth. “The calibre of surfing has been going through the roof all week, and it’s a testament to how much depth there is now.” There’s never been a more difficult time to make it as a professional surfer; the youth are continuing to change. So kids, keep your day jobs.