Japan took the overall lead today at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships on Huntington Beach ©ISA

Hosts and defending champions the United States have narrowly lost the lead to upcoming Olympic hosts Japan after the seventh day of competition at the International Surfing Association (SA) World Junior Surfing Championships here in Huntington Beach.

Whilst Japan, who are looking for their first team gold at the ISA World Juniors, lead, the gold is still in reach for all of the US, Hawaii and Australia behind them.

Meanwhile today there was also action in the ISA’s team relay competition, the Aloha Cup, with France, Hawaii, Japan and the United States all qualifying for tomorrow’s final, in which the first medals of the Championships will be awarded.

The competition, which saw the top eight teams from last year’s ISA World Juniors battle it out, allows each surfer from every country to catch three waves, one after the other, in a relay format.

The Aloha Cup saw surfers from each country take it in turn to catch three waves in a relay format ©ISA
The Aloha Cup saw surfers from each country take it in turn to catch three waves in a relay format ©ISA

All the scores are then added together to form an overall team mark, with the competition this year featuring Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, France, Hawaii, Japan, and the US.

Not only are Japan currently leading the overall team standings, they will also be defending their Aloha Cup title from 2017 tomorrow.

Individually speaking, with just repechage action taking place today, Germany’s Rachel Presti impressed by laying down the highest wave score of the day, at 9.13 in the girls’ under-16 division.

On the boys’ side, Tahiti’s Kauli Vaast earned the highest heat total with 16.26, though he was then knocked out in the next repechage round.