BUDE surfer Jobe Harriss has just returned from a three week trip to Piha New Zealand where he took part in the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships as Captain of the U-16s British Surfing Team.

More than 200 surfers from 21 countries from around the world took part in the week long event which culminated in three finals, the U-16 boys, U-18 girls and U-18 boys. This was a team event with points being awarded for final positions. The British team came a very respectable 11th, their 2nd highest ever finish.

The 2010 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships opened with a parade of Nations as all the teams marched behind their national flag bearer through the city's Mission Bay.

Jobe surfed his way through Round 1 in rising 4ft (1-1.2m) beach break conditions into Round 2 which took place on the third day of competition. In stormy 5-7 foot (2.0m) surf Jobe found himself up against some of the top U-16 surfers from Brazil, USA, and Hawaiian Ian Gentil recognised as one of the best 14 year olds in the world. He worked hard and surfed consistently well through the heat narrowly missing out on 2nd place by 1.7 points, this meant he went through to the repercharge rounds which run alongside the main event. Jobe surfed in a further two rounds before being knocked out, finishing in 31st place, the highest placed British surfer in the U-16s.

Jobe would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported him, his sponsors West and Globe and local company Bott UK and the Blanchminster for providing financial assistance. Jobe found the whole experience amazing and felt it was a great opportunity to mix it up with the best in the world.