Surfing: Charlie Pugh and Ansel Parkin ready for Brazil

Charlie Pugh and Ansel Parkin, of Belhaven Surf Club, will head out to Rio de Janeiro later this month.

The duo are part of the nine groms – a competitor under the age of 18 – looking to test themselves against the world’s best.

Fifteen-year-old Pugh, who lives in North Berwick, will be representing his country for the first time in the boys’ under-18 category.

The S4 pupil at North Berwick High School said: “It is a dream come true and I’m very excited to be heading to Brazil.

“I’ve been surfing for just over two years and, as soon as I started, my goal was to someday be part of the Scottish team and compete for my country in a sport that I love.

“It is a dream come true and I’m very excited to be heading to Brazil.”

Charlie Pugh will represent Scotland in Brazil, just two years after taking up surfing

The prestigious event will take place in Brazil’s second largest city from November 24 to December 3 and will see the Scottish squad pitted against the best junior surfers from every part of the globe.

The event is widely considered a direct pathway to the Olympic Games, as 33 out of the 40 Tokyo 2020 Olympic surfers previously participated in the WJSC, 16 of them claiming ISA World Junior medals.

One of the youngest surfers competing is Parkin, from Dunbar. Although only 14, he has already represented Scotland at the European Junior Surf Championships in Portugal and has an impressive list of national wins to his name.

Among his accolades are under-14 national champion, two-time under-16 national and Junior Series winner.

The S3 Dunbar Grammar School pupil, who has been surfing for just five years, said: “I love surfing. The fact that I am going to be able to represent my country on the other side of the world is amazing!”

Ansel Parkin will be flying the flag for Scotland at a prestigious surfing competition in Brazil later this month

Joining the pair in the Scotland squad are Craig McLachlan and Olivia MacKay, from North Shore Surf Club; Finn Clark, from Edinburgh and Borders Surf Club; Lola Mitchell, Callie Cruickshank and Sebastian Ballantyne, from Broch Surf Club; and Fraser Brown, from Lossiemouth Surf Club.

Craig Sutherland, newly appointed Scottish junior squad head coach, said: “I’m delighted that the Scottish kids are getting the amazing opportunity to represent their country on the international stage and compete with the best surfers in the world.

“This will be inspirational not only for our current junior surfers but will also encourage other children to get involved with surfing and surf competitions and enjoy the associated physical and mental health benefits.”