International Surfing Association


The International Surfing Association is the world governing authority for surfing, SUP racing, SUP surfing, bodyboarding and all other wave riding activities. The ISA is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

History

The ISA was originally named the International Surfing Federation between 1964 and 1973. An Open Division World Championships has been contested biennially since 1964, a Junior World Championships since 1980, a Masters World Championships since 2007 and a Stand Up Paddle World Championship since 2011.

Recognition as governing body of surfing

In 1982 the SportAccord, formerly known as General Association of International Sports Federations, recognized the ISA as the world’s governing body of surfing. in 1995 the International Olympic Committee granted the ISA provisional recognition. ISA was admitted into the Olympic movement at 1997 when the recognition was confirmed by the IOC.
International Surfing Association is a Member of:
The ISA’s mission is to make a better world through surfing, which it does through crowning World Champions, surf and SUP instructor certification, worldwide membership, grassroots development, and annual scholarships awarded to surfers in need.

Olympic Surfing

Olympic Bid

The organizing committee for the 2020 Games in Tokyo announced on 22 June 2015 that surfing was among the sports shortlisted for inclusion at the 2020 Summer Olympics. On 3 August 2016, during the 129th IOC Session at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games, the IOC unanimously voted to include five new sports, among them surfing, to the sports program of the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Surfing was included in the Tokyo 2020 Games on a one-off basis, and the ISA now has shifted their focused towards securing surfing's inclusion in the next editions of the Olympics, including Paris 2024 and LA 2028.

Olympic Qualification Process

On 16 March 2018, the International Surfing Association welcomed the release by the International Olympic Committee of the approved qualification system for Surfing’s Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, ensuring the participation of the world’s best professional surfers as well as promoting universal opportunities for surfers from around the world at the Games.
The key elements of the qualification system are as follows:
The hierarchical order of qualification are as follows:
  1. 2019 World Surf League Championship Tour: First 10 eligible men and first 8 eligible women.
  2. 2021 ISA World Surfing Games: First 4 eligible men and first 6 eligible women.
  3. 2019 ISA World Surfing Games: 4 men and 4 women selected based on their continent. Top finishing eligible surfer of each gender from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
  4. 2019 Pan American Games: First eligible man and first eligible woman in the surfing competitions.
  5. Host nation slot: One man and one woman slot will be guaranteed for the host nation of Japan, unless already filled through the above hierarchies. Should athletes from Japan qualify regularly, their slots will be reallocated to the highest ranked eligible surfers from the 2021 World Surfing Games.
To see the full Qualification Process for Surfing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, .

ISA World Events

The ISA runs world events across all disciplines of surfing. ISA world events include:
The ISA World Surfing Games is an Olympic style team competition that gathers National Delegations from around the world. Each team can field up to three men and three women. The surfers compete for individual medals and the coveted Fernando Aguerre World Team Trophy, named for and donated by the ISA President.
The event was first held in 1964 in Manly, Australia under the name 'ISA World Surfing Championships.'
Stemming from the global growth of Surfing spurred by inclusion in the Olympic Games, the 2017 edition of the ISA World Surfing Games broke the record for country participation. The previous record was set in 1996 when 36 nations graced the shores of Huntington Beach, USA, but in Biarritz 47 countries competed, shattering the record.
Many nations had representation in the event for the first time in history in 2017, including Afghanistan, China, Chinese Taipei, Greece, Senegal and South Korea.
YearGold Medal CountryEvent location
2019BrazilMiyazaki, Japan
2018JapanTahara, Japan
2017FranceBiarritz, France
2016PeruJacó, Costa Rica
2015Costa RicaPopoyo, Nicaragua
2014PeruPunta Rocas, Peru
2013South AfricaPlaya Santa Catalina, Panama
2011AustraliaPlaya Venao, Panama
2010PeruPunta Hermosa, Peru
2009USAPlaya Hermosa, Costa Rica

ISA World Junior Surfing Championship

The ISA hosted its first World Junior Surfing Championship in 1980 in Biarritz, France, where legendary surfer Tom Curren became the first ISA World Junior Champion, helping to launch his successful career. The event was held as a division of the ISA World Surfing Games until 2003, when it was held as a stand-alone event for the first time in Durban, South Africa.
Historically, the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship has served as a glimpse into the future stars of the sport. Past ISA World Junior Champions include the 2014 WSL Champion Gabriel Medina, Tatiana Weston-Webb, Filipe Toledo, Tyler Wright, Alejo Muniz, Laura Enever, Sally Fitzgibbons, Julian Wilson, Owen Wright, Stephanie Gilmore, Matt Wilkinson, Jordy Smith and Leonardo Fioravanti.
YearGold Medal CountryEvent location
2017USAHyuga, Japan
2016FranceAzores, Portugal
2015USAOceanside, California, USA
2014HawaiiSalinas, Ecuador
2013AustraliaPlaya Jiquiliste, Nicaragua
2012HawaiiPlaya Venao, Panama

ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship

The ISA World Adaptive Surfing Championship was created to give surfers with physical challenges an opportunity to compete and display their talents in a Paralympic-style, world-class competition.
The event has experienced unprecedented growth since the inaugural edition in 2015. The World Championship has spurred growth of the sport around the world, with nations such as France, Australia, Chile, Brazil, USA, Hawaii and South Africa holding National Championships of their own to select their National Teams to bring to California.
The 2017 edition shattered participation records with 109 athletes from 26 countries, more than a 50% increase from the inaugural edition of the event in 2015.

ISA World SUP and Paddeboard Championship

The ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship is an Olympic-style, team competition that combines the disciplines of SUP Surfing, SUP Racing and Paddleboard Racing. The athletes compete for individual Gold Medals and the Club Waikiki-Peru ISA World Team Champion Trophy awarded to the team that wins the Gold Medal.
The 2017 edition of the event was the first to feature gender equality across all divisions, reflective of the rapid growth of women’s SUP racing and surfing.

Authority and Development of StandUp Paddle (SUP)

The ISA has been the organizer of the sole World Championship for SUP and Paddleboard since 2012. The event was first held in Peru, with following editions held in Nicaragua, Mexico, Fiji, and Denmark.
Through development programs, scholarships for young SUP athletes, and promoting Championships at the national level, SUP has experienced explosive growth under the ISA’s guidance, which can be observed in the participation levels seen in the World Championship that have nearly quadrupled since its inception.
The ISA presented both Surfing and SUP to the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee for inclusion in the Olympic Sports Program. Tokyo 2020 only elected Surfing to be included in the Games and not SUP, however achievements such as inclusion in the 2019 Pan American Games and 2017 Central American Games have added momentum to the ISA’s push for inclusion in the 2024 Olympics.

Executive Committee

The ISA Executive Committee is composed of the ISA President, ISA Executive Director and four Vice Presidents. Its mission is to define ISA strategies and plans of action, “For a Better Surfing Future.” The Executive Committee works with the ISA staff throughout the year to develop future plans.
Current Executive Committee :
On 24 April 2018 the ISA announced the formation of a new Athletes’ Commission to ensure that athletes’ opinions are heard at the highest level of governance in Surfing, StandUp Paddle, and all surf-related disciplines.
France’s Justine Dupont, who has medaled across three ISA disciplines, has been appointed the Chair of the commission. Dupont earned Team Gold at the 2017 ISA World Surfing Games and individual Silver in SUP Surfing at the 2017 ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship.
Barbara Kendall, ISA Vice President, Chair of the Association of National Olympic Committees Athletes’ Commission, and five-time Olympian serves as the Ex Officio of the commission.
The full ISA Athletes’ Commission consists of the following members:
Chair:
Justine Dupont
Ex Officio:
Barbara Kendall
Members:
Dylan Lightfoot
Alana Nichols
Masatoshi Ohno
Casper Steinfath
Miguel Tudela
Ella Williams

Membership

The ISA has 103 member nations.

Members

The following table contains the ISA members:
CountryMember association
Wave Riders Association of Afghanistan
Djazair Surf Club
Asociación de Surf Argentina
Aruba Surf Association
Surfing Australia
Austrian Surfing - Österreichischer Wellenreitverband
Bahamas Surfing Association
Surfing Bangladesh
Barbados Surfing Association
Belgian Surfing Federation
Confederação Brasileira de Surf, CBSurf
Bulgarian Extreme Water Sports Association
Canadian Surfing Association
Skibo Surf Club
Cayman Islands Surfing Association
Asociacion Chilena de Surf
Chinese Extreme Sports Association
Chinese Taipei Surfing Association
Asociacion Colombiana de Surf
Federación de Surf de Costa Rica
Ceska Federace Stand Up Paddle
North Atlantic Surfing Association
Federacion Dominicana de Surf Dubai Surfing Association
Federación Ecuatoriana de Surf
Federación Salvadoreña de Surf
Surfing England
Fiji Surfing Association
Finnish SUP and Surf Federation
Fédération Française de Surf
Gambia Swimming and Water Sports Association
Deutscher Wellenreit Verband
Ghana Surfing Association
Surfing Great Britain
Greek Surfing Association
Guahan Napu Inc.
Guatemala Surfing Association
Surf Haiti
Hawaii Amateur Surfing Association
Hong Kong Stand Up Paddle Board Association
Hungarian Surf Association
Surfing Federation of India
Indonesian Surfing Association
I.R. Iran Surfing Association
Irish Surfing Association
Israel Surfing Association
Federazione Italiana Surfing
Côte d'Ivoire Surfing Association
Jamaica Surfing Association
Nippon Surfing Association
Kiribati Surfing Association
Korea Surfing Association
Latvian Stand Up Paddle Association
Lebanon Surf & Sport
Liberian Surfing Federation
Lithuanian Surfing Association
Madagascar Yachting, Rowing, Canoeing, and Surfing Squadron Federation
Malaysia Surfing Association
Maldives Surfing Association
Federación Mexicana de Surfing, A.C.
Federation Royale Marocaine de Surf et Bodyboard
Namibia Surfing Association
Nauru Surf Club
Nepal National Surfing Association
Holland Surfing Association
Surfing New Zealand Inc.
Nicaragua Surfing Association
Nigeria Surfing Federation
Norwegian Surfing Club
Asociación Panameña de Surf
Surfing Association of Papua New Guinea
Federación Peruana de Tabla
United Philippine Surfing Association
Polskie Stowarzyszenie Surfingu
Federação Portuguesa de Surf
Russian Surfing Federation
Canoeing and Surfing Federation of São Tomé
Scottish Surfing Federation
Federation Senegalaise de Surf
Sierra Leone Surfing Association
Slovak Surfing Association
Surf Zveza Slovenije
Somali Surfing Association
Surfing South Africa
Federeración Española de Surf
Surfing Federation of Sri Lanka
Swedish Surfing Association
Swiss Surfing Association
Federation Tahitienne de Surf
Surfing Thailand
Surfing Association of Trinidad & Tobago
Turkish American Sports Club
Dubai Surfing Association
United States Virgin Islands Surfing Association
Union de Surf del Uruguay
Vanuatu Surfing Association
Federación Venezolana de Surfing
Welsh Surfing Federation

ISA Recognized International Surfing Organizations

Somewhat in line with the tradition of the Olympic Games a gold, silver, bronze and copper medals are awarded to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed athletes who compete for the honor to represent their country and national colors, in the true nature of surfing's aloha spirit and fair play.

2014 World Champions

Peru Crowned 2014 World Team Champion, Argentina’s Leandro Usuna Wins The Gold Medal In Men’s, Peru’s Anali Gomez Wins the Gold Medal In Women’s and Peru Wins The ISA Aloha Cup With Incredible Waves At Punta Rocas, Peru

ISA 50th Anniversary World Surfing Games

Overall Team Results

  1. 11,402 points,
  2. - 11,340 points,
  3. - 10,922 points,
  4. - 9,508 points,
  5. - 8,330 points
  6. - 8,268 points
  7. - 7,830 points
  8. - 6,720 points
  9. - 6,540 points
  10. - 6,400 points
  11. - 6,352 points
  12. - 6,340 points
  13. - 5,760 points
  14. - 5,540 points
  15. - 4,560 points
  16. - 3,952 points
  17. - 3,756 points
  18. - 3,456 points
  19. - 2,520 points
  20. - 2,280 points
  21. - 1,152 points
  22. - 720 points

    Open Men

  23. . Leandro Usuna, Gold Medal
  24. . Anthony Fillingim, Silver Medal
  25. . Shane Holmes, Bronze Medal
  26. . Nicholas Squires, Copper Medal

    Open Women

  27. . Anali Gomez, Gold Medal
  28. . Dominic Barona, Silver Medal
  29. . Philippa Anderson, Bronze Medal
  30. . Jessica Grimwood, Copper Medal