Team England secures impressive fifth place in tight competition at the European Surfing Junior Championship 2024!!
Lukas Skinner, Lola Bleakley, and Arthur Randell showcase exceptional talent, bringing home silver, bronze and copper medals and contributing to England’s strong performance in a fiercely contested event.
The dryrobe Team England Juniors started solid from day one, with all English surfers demonstrating incredible momentum and determination throughout the competition.
Lukas Skinner put on a spectacular show in the U16 category, dominating throughout most of the event. His exceptional performance included scoring the highest wave (9.00) on day two with a flawless air reverse and achieving a perfect 10 on day three with impressive rail surfing. In a thrilling final, Skinner narrowly missed gold, placing 2nd behind Dylan Donnovan by a mere 0.57 points. This close contest was a continuation of their rivalry from the ISA World Games in El Salvador earlier this year, showcasing Skinner’s growing prowess on the international stage.
Lola Bleakley demonstrated remarkable skill and perseverance, securing a well-deserved bronze medal in her category. Her performance throughout the event, particularly in the longboard division, was nothing short of impressive.
Arthur Randell, who entered the competition aiming to reclaim his victory from two years ago in the U18 Longboard category, fought hard and secured a commendable fourth place in his final heat.
Team England faced challenges throughout days 3, 4, and 5 with long days, persistent fog, and less-than-ideal wave conditions. The final day saw deteriorating waves, testing the surfers’ adaptability and skill. Despite these obstacles, our team showed true English grit and determination.
The exceptional performances of the entire team have placed Team England in a strong fifth place overall in an incredibly tight competition. This achievement, just shy of the podium, is a testament to the dedication, skill, and teamwork displayed by our young surfers, and highlights the increasingly competitive nature of European junior surfing.
A huge credit goes to our coaches and support crew at the Euros: Jamie Wride, Beau Bromham, Ben Goosey, Ben Skinner, Daisy Lambert and Charlotte Mulley. Their hard work and guidance were instrumental in our team’s success. We also extend our gratitude to dryrobe, the junior team’s main partner for years, whose support continues to be crucial in our consistently strong performances.
Thanks to the European Surfing Federation and Ocean Spirit for organizing such a fantastic event, and to our wider coaching team at home for their efforts in preparing the squad.
While English surfers are not present at this year’s Olympic Games, the outstanding performances of Skinner, Bleakley, and Randell against tough European competition reinforce our confidence that our athletes will be strong contenders for the 2028 Olympic Games in LA.
This result demonstrates that Team England is consistently performing at the highest level of European junior surfing. With such a narrow margin separating the top teams, we’re proud of our fifth place finish and excited about the future of English surfing on the international stage.
