Peru’s legendary Punta Rocas will transform into the global epicenter of competitive surfing from December 5-14, 2025, as it hosts the prestigious International Surfing Association World Junior Championship. This nine-day spectacle will showcase the world’s elite under-18 surfers conquering the mighty Pacific swells of South America. Among the international contenders, two brothers from the Caribbean nation of Saint Lucia are poised to make history as the island’s first representatives at this premier global event.
Sebastián Russel Rambally-Ambler (16) and Daniel Frank Rambally-Ambler (14), students at St Mary’s College and residents of Marigot Bay, have been riding waves for a decade since first learning in the coastal waters of Anse La Raye and Canaries. As members of the Canaries Surf Club, these young athletes have emerged as standard-bearers for Saint Lucia’s rapidly developing surf culture.
Their journey to the world stage has been bolstered by substantial institutional support. The Saint Lucian government’s Alternative Sports Programme, alongside major tourism stakeholders including the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, RASCO, and ACID Kreationz, have collectively invested in their development. The SLHTA demonstrated particular commitment through an $11,300 donation to the Saint Lucia Surfing Association (SLSA) via its Tourism Enhancement Fund.
The brothers recently tested their skills at the Barbados Independence Surf Pro and Nationals (November 14-16) at the renowned Soup Bowl break in Bathsheba. Despite finishing tied for 13th place among 16 competitors in the Junior Pro category, the event provided invaluable experience against seasoned international surfers. The tournament also afforded them the privilege of meeting Caribbean surfing legends Alan Burke, Josh Burke, and Jacob Burke.
Prior to the Barbados competition, the athletes underwent intensive training with Surf Dojo Costa Rica, which proved transformative for their technical and mental preparation. According to an SLSA release, ‘The lessons—both in and out of the water—have been truly invaluable to our development as athletes and as representatives of our island. From technique to discipline to mindset, we are leaving Costa Rica stronger, smarter, and more connected to the global surf family.’
The young surfers have rapidly gained recognition within international surfing circles, training with Barbados’ Paradise Surf School instructor Dane Mackie and establishing connections with surf communities across Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, Florida, California, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Austria.
Meanwhile, the SLSA has implemented strategic development initiatives, establishing surf clubs in Canaries and Choiseul under the guidance of instructor ‘Rasta Dave.’ These clubs aim to cultivate local talent and promote surfing as a core sporting and cultural activity throughout Saint Lucia. The federation has already distributed 15 surfboards to aspiring athletes this year.
SLSA President Shaid Rambally articulated the organization’s vision: ‘Our mission is to promote, develop, and elevate surfing on the island, providing opportunities for our youth to excel both locally and internationally.’ The participation of the Rambally-Ambler brothers at the World Junior Championship represents the first major realization of this ambitious goal.