New Zealand have won a bid to host next year's world junior surfing championships.
The championships will be held at Piha Beach, near Auckland, from January 20-28.
The championships will see the world's best under-18s in action, competing both individually and for their countries.
"We're really happy to announce that New Zealand will be the 2010 location for the world junior surfing championship," International Surfing Association president Fernando Aguerre said today.
"It is an amazing location with perfect waves and a great surfing culture.
"It's really important to note that this is the first time after more than 25 years that the ISA holds an event of this magnitude in the Australasia zone."
New Zealand world tour surfer Paige Hareb, currently ranked No 3 in the world, said it was a privilege to have the world championships here.
"It's a pretty big deal for the development of surfing here. Hopefully it will be well covered by the media so we get more people around New Zealand interested in our sport and more people wanting to start having a go at it as well," Hareb said.
Earlier this year the New Zealand team came seventh at the world junior championships in Ecuador.
Surfing New Zealand is expecting some intense competition for the 12 places in the Kiwi team next year.
Gisborne's Jay Quinn won the forerunner to this event, the world grommet championships, in 2001.
