La Jolla CA— The International Surfing Association (ISA) has announced the official opening of the application period for the 2017 ISA Scholarship Program, which distributes financial aid and equipment grants to young surfers around the world.
More than 300 surfers have benefitted from the ISA Scholarship Program since 2007, receiving a total of USD $248,500 to upgrade Surfing equipment, travel to contests, and pay for education fees. The scholarships are awarded to surfers 18 years and under based on their financial need, dedication to Surfing, and academic excellence.
In 2016, 35 surfers from 21 countries across all five continents were selected as scholarship winners, exemplifying the global growth of Surfing and the ISA’s commitment to developing the sport in non-traditional Surfing nations.
Many ISA Scholarship recipients have been selected to represent their National Surfing Teams in World Championships, with 17 past winners representing their countries at the 2016 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in the Azores. Some recipients have gone on to rank among the elite athletes of the sport including Carlos Muñoz (CRI), who won in 2008 and 2009, and Chelsea Tuach (BAR), who won in 2008.
ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said “The ISA Scholarship Program exemplifies our commitment to the development of youth Surfing around the world. Since the program’s launch a decade ago, we can see the positive effect that the program has had on the lives of our scholarship ambassadors around the world. We have watched them grow to become excellent surfers and more importantly great human beings.
“As part of our strategy for global expansion, it’s important to support the youth to ensure a bright future for the sport. This ISA Scholarship Program has played a key role in promoting the sport in non-traditional Surfing nations such as Ghana, India and Haiti, where Surfing is growing in popularity.
“As we rapidly approach Surfing’s Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, we very well could see one of our Scholarship winners rise to the world’s greatest sporting stage and compete among the first wave of Olympic surfers.”
The 2017 ISA Scholarship application period ends on April 30, with the winners being announced by August 1.
Click here to apply for the 2017 ISA Scholarship Program: http://www.isasurf.org/2017_scholarship_application/
View a full list of all ISA Scholarship ambassadors here: http://www.isasurf.org/development-programs/isa-scholarship/scholarship-ambassador-archives/