Former Oiler to surf for U.S.

When Chris Waring started training to represent America in the junior world championships today he shook up his normal regimen.

“I’ve been surfing more than usual and doing a lot of things differently than I have in the past, such as getting up really, really early to go out and surf, and still go out in the water when the surf isn’t really good,” he said. “It’s been about doing the things I really don’t normally or want, to do, but I’ve changed things around and have made them a habit.”

Waring, a 2005 graduate of Huntington Beach High and former Oilers’ surf team captain, has made winning a habit, too, as he achieved one of his main surfing goals by earning a spot as a U.S. representative at the Assn. of Surfing Professionals Billabong World Junior Championships.

The eight-day competition opens today (Jan. 3) and runs through Jan. 10 at Sydney, Australia’s North Narabeen Beach.

The World Junior Championships is the premiere event for junior surfers age 20 and under and considered a primary stepping stone toward a professional career, Waring said.

“Competing in junior world has been one of the main goals that I’ve been working toward for a while,” he said. “The fact that I accomplished this has me both excited and a little nervous but really looking forward to competing.

“I just want to get there and live the moment.”

More than eight world regions will be represented at the championships, with competitors coming from the United States, South America, Australia, Hawaii, Africa, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Israel, Tahiti and Indonesia.

Surfers qualified for the international competition by finishing at the top of their respective regional junior series events held during the past year.

Waring was among the top four competitors in the U.S. who will compete at the event. He’ll be joined by Adam Wickwire of Satellite Beach, Fla., Nick Rozsa of Oxnard and Cory Arrambide of Ventura.

That foursome earned a spot on the U.S. team over a period of one year and 10 pro junior events held on the East and West coasts. The association calculated the highest placements from six of the 10 events to determine the top four finishers, Waring said.

Tanner Gudauskas of San Clemente qualified for the fifth spot by being the highest-placing junior from North America competing on the ASP World Qualifying Series.

Waring learned he earned his spot following the last of 10 pro junior events held in Santa Cruz in late October.

He said that although the five will represent the United States at the championships, each will be out to earn the junior world title for himself.

All five competed against each other throughout the past year in hopes of earning a top-four finish and become a U.S. representative at the championships.

“We’ll all have USA pride and cheer each other on but each of us wants to win it individually,” Waring said. “I’m going to give it all I’ve got and definitely am going there to represent the USA the best that I can.”

Waring gave an impressive showing last summer at the Lost Pro Junior event at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. Waring finished runner-up to the title in a competition that drew 128 of the world’s best 20-and-under junior surfers.

He was the only mainland U.S. competitor to make a final that included Tonino Benson and Mason Ho , both of Hawaii, and Jordy Smith of South Africa.

Waring reached three ASP Pro Junior Finals in the past year and was the second-highest placing 20-and-under North American Surfer on the World Qualifying Series. He has competed in such places as the Maldive Islands, England, France, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Hawaii and Brazil during 2007.

Waring said that he’s surfed up and down the southern California coast while training for the championships, working the Huntington Beach Pier down south through San Diego.

Past winners of the World Junior Championships include Smith, Joel Parkinson of Australia and Hawaiian Andy Irons, all of whom are on the World Tour (top 44 surfers in the world).

The event is in its 11th year.