Tweed Coast surfer wins world junior title

TWEED Coast surfer Dane Henry has become just the fifth Australian to win a WSL World Junior Championship after a finals performance in the Philippines.

The 19 year old joins an elite group of Australian winners that includes Joel Parkinson and Ethan Ewing.

Based at Fingal Head, Henry will compete in the Challenger Series for the first time this year as he works toward the professional ranks.

He is managed by his mother, Kiri Henry, who runs the Tweed Coast Pro and is a member of Kingscliff Boardriders Club.

“It’s been a massive week, it feels like I’ve been here for about a month,” Henry said.

“I want to say a massive thanks to my coach, Adam Dufner. I’ve been training with him for 10 years and honestly wouldn’t be able to be here without him.”

“It’s been special sharing this moment with just us and my beautiful mother, Kiri.”

“There’s been a lot of big Aussie names to win this competition, and this is one to tick off for me.”

Henry is coming off a strong year, having won gold representing Australia at the ISA World Surfing Games in El Salvador.

He also claimed a junior ISA world title in 2024, making him one of only four surfers to hold both junior and open world crowns.

His path to the final was sealed in dramatic fashion, locking in a second wave score in the final 30 seconds of the semi final as competitors battled inconsistent one to two foot swell.

That set up a final against Israeli surfer Nadav Attar, which Henry described as one of the most memorable heats of his career.

“I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time,” he said.

“Everything’s kind of led to this moment, but I know it’s just the beginning.”

The women’s final featured Gold Coast surfers Sierra Kerr and Isla Huppatz.

Huppatz, who won the Tweed Coast Pro last year, claimed the world junior title..