As the talent level of America’s bright up-and-comers has shot through the roof in recent years, the Oakley Pro Junior series has arrived as the premier forum to showcase their abilities and hone their competitive aptitude. The idea for the Oakley Pro Junior series came to fruition two years ago, and the concept was simple: Give American surfers the same competitive opportunities as other surf-centric countries around the world. Since its inception, the series has grown into four Pro Juniors in the U.S., which include the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Grade 2 Oakley Pro Junior at Lower Trestles, California, the ASP Grade 2 Oakley Pro Junior at Newport Beach, California., the ASP Grade 3 North American Junior Championships at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, Calif. Also, worthy of note, these events make up the junior division of Macy’s California Trifecta Surf Series presented by Jeep, and the Oakley Junior Pro presented by Heritage Surf and Sport.

The initial concept for the Oakley Pro Junior series took root when event organizers saw young, domestic surfers facing competitive challenges not just from their peers in America, but from increasingly savvy opponents the world over. It’s out of the necessity for a domestic outlet that the Oakley Pro Junior Series has blossomed into much, much more. Building on that original model, in addition to these American-based events, the series has been expanded to now include an international Oakley Pro Junior in South Africa, Brazil, France and Australia.

As the best from each of these talent-rich zones will compete in these events, besides just bragging rights, they’ll also be vying for a birth in the granddaddy of them all—the Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge. Come September, the Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge will be held in the wave-rich hotbed that is Bali. With a 10-day waiting period to work with, and only four days of actual competition, Bali’s multitude of world-class waves will undoubtedly be on offer throughout the event. By the end of it all an Oakley Pro Junior world champion will be named, but more important than that, all of the surfers involved will have gained a wealth of international experience that’s bound to prepare them for the World Qualifying Series, and ultimately the World Championship Tour.

Stay tuned to OakleyProJunior.com as the world’s best young surfers do battle and the Oakley Pro Junior series heats up.

OAKLEY PRO JUNIOR ASP EVENTS
(*denotes Global Challenge events)
1. Feb. 5-10: North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia (ASP Grade 4, $30,000)*
2. March 21-23: New Pier, Durbin, South Africa (ASP Grade 2, $10,000)*
3. April 29-May 3: Lower Trestles, California, USA (ASP Grade 2, $10,000)***
4. May 26-27: Itamambuca Beach, Ubatuba City, Sao Paulo State, Brazil (ABRASP (Brazilian Champion) / ASP South America, $23,000)*
6. Aug. 9: Shidashita Point, Chiba, Japan*
5. Aug. 9-10: Grand Plage, Lacanua, Gironde, France (ASP Grade 2, $10,000)*
6. Aug. 29-30: Sea Isle City, New Jersey, USA (ASP Grade 2, $10,000)
7. Sept. 16-21: Newport Beach, California, USA (ASP Grade 2, $10,000)**
8. Oct-7-17: The Global Challenge Championship, Bali, ($75,000)*
9. Oct. 21-26: ASP North America Pro Junior Championships, Santa Cruz, California, USA (ASP Grade 3, $15,000)**