With the cancellation of this year’s last event in Portugal, Maxime Huscenot (REU) and Alizee Arnaud (FRA) officially became the 2008 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) European Junior Champions respectively in the male and female divisions clinching their maiden regional crowns after a very consistent season. Both will lead the European contingent at the ASP World Junior Championships (WJC) in Narabeen, Sydney, Australia, next January.

Alizee Arnaud (Hossegor, FRA), 19, who won three out of seven events this year, dominated the tour in the second half of the summer taking all her wins in a month-time with one ASP Grade-1 and two ASP Grade-2 events including the prestigious Billabong Pro Junior at Ericeira in Portugal. Arnaud, who becomes the region’s leader for a year, will fly the European flag against the world’s best female under-21 surfers next January with fellow French surfer Lee-Ann Curren (Anglet, FRA) who earned her ticket with her second place finish on the overall ratings.

In the men’s division, 16-year-old Maxime Huscenot (REU) becomes the yougest surfer ever to win the ASP European Junior title after winning the biggest event this year, the ASP Grade-4 Santa Surf Pro Junior in the Canary Islands. Huscenot, who started the year with an equal 3rd in the Rip Curl Pro Junior in Portugal, kept the pressure on his closest followers Medi Veminardi (REU) and Marc Lacomare (FRA) during the summer reaching the Quarterfinals of every event counting for his end-of-the-year points’ total. Huscenot, who will surf for the first time against the world’s best at Narabeen, will lead the regional Top 6 at the ASP World Junior Championships (WJC) with good chances of creating some serious upsets. Charles Martin (GLP), 18, who was No. 3 in the world in 2007, has been awarded a wild card by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) International to attend this year’s WJC and will be another excellent assett for the European contingent.

ASP EUROPEAN JUNIORS QUALIFIED FOR THE 2008 ASP WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Men’s Division

No. 1, Maxime Huscenot (REU)

No. 2, Medi Veminardi (REU)

No. 3, Marc Lacomare (FRA)

No. 4, Jatyr Berasaluce (EUK)

No. 5, Pierre-Valentin Laborde (FRA)

No. 6, Jules Thomet (FRA)

Women’s Division

No. 1, Alizee Arnaud (FRA)

No. 2, Lee-Ann Curren (FRA)