Big brothers can be a pain, but Zara Owen does not mind having hers sharing the waves.

Dunedin siblings Zara and Alexis Owen have been in action on the opening days of the world junior surfing championships in El Salvador.

At just 13, Zara is the baby of the 12-strong New Zealand team.

She finished second in her heat of the under-16 girls competition and has progressed to the second round.

Zara battled some nerves tackling the waves in front of hundreds of other competitors and spectators, and felt that came through in her surfing despite performing well at roughly the same time as her brother contested his event.

“I can’t wait for him to be with me for my next heat,” she said.

Dunedin surfer Alexis Owen catches a wave during the world junior surfing championships in El Salvador. Photo: Sean Evans/ISA

Alexis Owen, 18, has also moved through to the next round.

He showed his class with a dominant win in his under-18 heat.

Alexis, the captain of the New Zealand team in his final junior campaign, was fourth in the world in the under-16 category two years ago, and last year made history by becoming the first Dunedin surfer to win the New Zealand open men’s title.