The Surf Association of Myanmar (SAM) and the American Samoa Surfing Association (ASSA) are the newest member federations of the International Surfing Association, the ISA press department announced today in a statement.

This brings the number of ISA-recognised federations to 108, an increase of more than 50 in the last 10 years.

American Samoa will make its debut at an ISA world championship on September 7, when the historic 2019 edition of the World Surfing Games opens. 16-year-old Liam Wilson will represent his nation, with a chance to qualify for Surfing's debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Myanmar association held its first ever National Surfing and StandUp Paddle (SUP) Championship on 25 and 26 May in Ngwe.

“Our ultimate vision is to see the joy of surfing reach every corner of the world. We want people to be able to feel the joy that comes from connecting with the ocean and riding a wave. We are proud to welcome Myanmar and American Samoa with open arms to the ISA family, an international community of surfers that reaches every continent of the world,” said Fernando Aguerre, President of the ISA regarding the inclusion.

For his part, Phone Kyaw Moe Myint, President of Surf Association of Myanmar, said: “It is a great pride and pleasure to be part of the ISA family and to start our journey into the world of surfing. It has only been three years since surfing came to Myanmar and many of the local communities, mainly children, have really embraced the sport. In the past, parents in local beach communities have feared the ocean as it has claimed many lives, however, when surfing came, this changed and people started to enjoy the joy that the ocean can bring.”

“With the support of the ISA and our national government, surfing has now evolved from more than a hobby to a potential way for young people to have a bright future in the sport. We very much look forward to working closely with the ISA in the future and helping to grow the sport in our country, which has nearly 1700 miles of coastline to explore in search of great waves. We look forward to riding some amazing waves in and out of the water,” concluded Moe Myint.

Meanwhile, Ben Goodwin from American Samoa said: “Becoming a member of the ISA is an open door to the world to show that we exist and we have a beautiful island to enjoy the sport of surfing. Our people now realise that they will be recognised by the world as lovers of the water and use surfing to stay focused and fit. Our young surfer Liam Wilson is very excited to finally represent us and looks forward to showing the world that he has been waiting for this moment to join other young surfers.”