OCEANSIDE — USA Surfing has chosen Oceanside as an official training ground for USA Surfing. The designation comes on the heels of USA Surfing’s junior team trainings in Oceanside, as the team of teen surfers prepare to defend USA’s team Gold Medal at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Surfing Championship in El Salvador.
The USA Surfing, Visit Oceanside and Oceanside Sports Commission partnership will include event and competition planning, educational seminars, and high-performance training summits that includes discounted athlete lodging, wellness and performance resources.
Oceanside was the host city for the 2015 ISA World Jr Surf Championships – the site of USA’s first-ever team Gold Medal. USA Surfing head coach Ryan Simmons coached the 2015 team to victory and is looking for a repeat in 2022. Simmons saved the U.S. flag from that victory and brings it to every practice as a reminder of the legacy and inspiration to go for Gold in El Salvador.
May 24, Coach Simmons and the team gathered sand from Oceanside Pier to use in the ISA Sands of the World ceremony, which combines sand from the beaches of 45 competing nations creating beautiful patterns in a glass container. The ceremony marks the official start of the May 27 to June 6 global competition.
Oceanside is also the host city for USA Surfing Championship competition for adult shortboard, longboard, SUP and Para Surfing June 14 through June 18.
“Oceanside has a vibe, multiple great surf breaks, and an authentic community that surfers have loved for decades,” said USA Surfing CEO Brandon Lowery. “We are proud to partner with the city of Oceanside and Visit Oceanside to help more surfers and action sports athletes take advantage of Oceanside’s exceptional facilities.”
“We are thrilled with this announcement to recognize our long-standing partnership with USA Surfing,” said Leslee Gaul, CEO of Visit Oceanside. “Oceanside is the birthplace of some of the greatest surfers and home to many renowned surf brands, surf shops, board shapers and manufacturers so this has been a natural synergy. Our surf culture aligns with our action sports tourism. Oceanside Sports Commission is proud to support these athletes during their home training and while they travel representing the USA.”
