These are the Best Juniors of 2021

Let’s talk about the surfers who are likely younger than you, rip harder than you, and may make you want to hang up the wettie, board, and boardies and take up pickleball. While it may feel emotionally and physically depressing to watch groms half your age surf at a level far beyond what you’ve been able to achieve in your surfing life, that’s the wrong way to look at it. The kids are ruling. Young girls and boys are getting slotted in Indo, laying down rail at Haleiwa, and doing a myriad of aerial acrobatics pretty much everywhere. They’re pushing surfing into the stratosphere! And while the polar ice caps melt, at least Albee Layer can find calm in knowing that by 2032, a double spin will become standard operating procedure. 

2021 was all about the three Ladybirds and one Hawaiian and newfound CTer. No one turned heads quite like Miss Caity Simmers, but the surfing Erin Brooks, Sierra Kerr, and Bettylou Sakura Johnson were doing throughout the year had our Surfer of the Year pollers voting them all into the top 10 of the overall Surfer of the Year: Female category. This means before the age of 18, all four of these girls are mixing it up with World Champs and World Tour Vets in the eyes of their peers. 

For the boys, Jai Glindeman’s absolute maturity, style, and poise on a wave got him into the top spot. Behind him, Shane Dorian’s wunderkind, Jackson, and the blonde Hawaiian with a love for the space above the lip, Luke Swanson, gave a good run for the Best Junior. Hit play above, but first, think about how surfing is way more fun than pickleball. 

Best Junior: Female (top 4 surfers)

1. Caity Simmers (16 points + 82 Surfer of the Year: Female points = 98 total)
2. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (7 points + 47 Surfer of the Year: Female points = 54 total)
3. Sierra Kerr (9 points + 40 Surfer of the Year: Female points = 49 total)
4. Erin Brooks (14 points + 33 Surfer of the Year: Female points = 47 total)

Best Junior: Male (top 4 surfers)
1. Jai Glindeman (8 points + 7 Surfer of the Year: Male points = 15 total)
2. Jackson Dorian (10 points)
3. Luke Swanson (9 points)