Top Ten Finish For NZ Junior Surfing Team

The New Zealand Junior Surfing Team have finished tenth at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship completed in Peru at the start of the week.

The team finished the campaign with two seventh place finishes by Leia Millar and Lola Groube in the Under 18 Girls Division as well as a thirteenth place finish by Vitor Bauermann in the Under 16 Boys Division, all acehived on the penultimate day of the event.

Australia backed up their 2024 gold medal team result with USA in second and Brazil in third. Host nation Peru finished in fourth.

Piha's Leia Millar built on her performances throughout the event and going into the final two days had caught the eye of her opponents and officials. In her final heat, Millar got off to a great start early with a 5.33 point ride. Her second ride was shaping up nicely before falling on a major second turn. Millar was not afforded many opportunities after that and had to settle for third behind surfers from France and China.

"So so gutted to miss out on the finals day and a potential podium but I'm definitely proud of a seventh-place finish," said Millar.

"Overall I'm really happy with my campaign, I felt like I got my name out there and did some surfing that I am proud of. Today's (Sunday) heat was tough, it was super close, but I'm happy to know I was amongst the top girls at this event," she added, crediting the awesome team culture, teammates and support staff that helped her campaign and the endless effort they put into their performances.

"Stoked to have my last event as a junior be a good one," add Millar as she moves out of the age groups.

Millar was joined by 14‑year‑old Lola Groube in finishing seventh in the Under 18 Girls Division. Groube again had her chances in her final match up. With low scores across the board for her opponents, Groube hunted a big wide set. As she scrambled for the shoulder of the wave to catch it, the lip slammed her in the back making her belly ride to the bottom before being unable to recover and ride the wave for potential progression.

The Peru waves suited the Pauanui surfer who quietly went about her work during the week posting big scores and selecting the best waves on offer to advance through multiple rounds.

Gold Coast based Vitor Bauermann was the top ranked male of the New Zealand Team finishing a credible thirteenth in his first international event.

On borrowed equipment all week, Bauermann had worked his way through the rounds, predominantly on the second podium. Another unforced error for the Kiwi team cost Bauermann in his last heat of his campaign finishing third in his heat early on the second last day of the event.

"My heat was pretty slow, I got a good first wave but unfortunately fell on my back up wave which would have played a big part in my heat total," commented Bauermann.

"I am stoked with my result, this being my first international event, and I am looking forward to more opportunities in the future," he added.

This year's event was held at Punta Rocas, a consistent right and lefthand point break that has delivered good conditions to date. This year's event had a record 424 participants from 57 countries taking part. New Zealand bettered the eleventh place finish achieved in 2024.

Please see below for final results from the 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championships held in Peru from the 7‑15 December 2025:

Under 18 Girls: Leia Millar (Piha) – 7th; Lola Groube (Pau) – 7th; Chloe Groube (Pau) – 73rd
Under 18 Boys: Alexis Owen (Dun) – 37th; Tao Mouldey (Mnt) – 55th; Jacob Haines (Rag) – 55th
Under 16 Girls: Brisa Canina (Sunshine Coast) – 13th; Alani Morse (Rag) – 19th; Poppy Arkle (Piha) – 25th
Under 16 Boys: Vitor Bauermann (Gold Coast) – 13th; Benji Lowen (Coffs Harbour) – 49th; Luca Thompson (Rag) – 49th