By Maria Alejandra Peña

Venezuela will be present at the International Surfing Association's Junior World Championships, which will take place in Huntington Beach, California, from October 27 to November 4. A team of four under-16s, two women and two men, will be present at the tournament, the surfers' parents informed DUKE.

They are: Luna Marcano, Nathalie Petrovich, Jean Kalani Flores and Daniel Piña, each one will be paying for their travel and participation costs with money from their families.

Jean Carlos Flores, father of 16-year-old Kalani, said: “We are making all these sacrifices for the sake of the kids. Enough of the lies. They deserve to attend these events and if we can make it possible with a group of parents, we will do so.”

For her part, Ailicec Rivero, mother of 10-year-old Luna Marcano, said: “We are making this trip with great sacrifice, taking money from where we do not have any… All in order to seek the well-being of our daughter’s sports career.”

Karina Restuccia, mother of 12-year-old Nathalie, said: “Among the parents of the athletes who will attend, we are paying for the event fee, because the ministry cannot make the payment at the moment and it must be made if we want them to participate. Nathalie will travel on Monday and we will take Kalani Flores with us.”

In the case of Daniel Piña, a 16-year-old, he is already in Panama and will leave for the United States on Monday to surf and train, to be ready for the event on October 27, explained Juan Pedro Medina on behalf of the young athlete.

Venezuelan team
Under 16 ladies
Luna Marcano
Nathalie Petrovich

Under 16 men
Daniel Pineapple
Jean Kalani Flores