This event ranks really high because it is for the best surfers in the world at this age. And what I like about it is the team concept. They're not just surfing as individuals, but they're representing where they're from.
Now you can truly call it the Pipeline Masters.
We tried to put together the most consistent team because it's a long week of surfing. So we monitored the progress of all the top surfers during the summer and chose the ones we thought showed the most progress.
I think that's how it should be. Other countries might have more surfers to choose from, but talent-wise, we feel like we can compete with the best.
This is huge progress. Before, we'd be battling each other in the trials for one or two spots in the main event. Now, we get 16 guys directly into the main event.
This is considered THE contest for the juniors. There are a lot of other events around the world for juniors now, but if you win this one, you're considered the junior world champ.
I would peg Brazil as the team to beat this year. They are the home team and it's a country that is very supportive of their sports.
