Windsurfer Sarah Kenyon from regional Western Australia has won the sport’s under-18 women’s world championship after a close competition off the state’s coastline.
At the Junior World Wave Championship Grand Final, in Geraldton, north of Perth, the 17-year-old surfing local took first place in the U21 women’s category and second place in the U18s to secure the division’s world title.
“The conditions were just perfect and it was pretty good to be on home soil because I had all of my friends and family coming to watch me,” Kenyon told the ABC.
“We trained there a lot beforehand to make sure I was really dialled in,” she said, adding that she fell in love with the sport after growing up in Geraldton where wind for windsurfing is “perfect” and you can do it “as long as you want”.
At the Grand Final in Geraldton, fellow windsurfer Natsuki Wakasa took second place, while Helena Derya Lale and Ines Cellenaere completed a highly competitive top four.
The Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) World Tour said Geraldton “delivered ideal conditions for the Pro Junior Girls U21 Oceania Youth Titles, with consistent wind, quality waves and sunshine providing the perfect backdrop for a standout opening event of the season.”
“The fleet responded in style, pushing the level with every heat.”
A promising talent in the sport, Kenyon has been excelling at regional windsurfing competitions in Australia. She made her tour debut at the 2024 Pacasmayo Classic and immediately caught attention, establishing herself as someone ready to compete at the level with Pro Women.
This season, Kenyon also competed at the Chile World Cup 5 Star in both Pro Women and Junior Girls, proving her readiness for the international stage.