By Jake Howard
Currently ranked second on the WSL North American Women’s Junior Tour, Samantha Sibley is enjoying a summer to remember.
Seeded into the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Pro Junior event, she’s looking to put a win on the board and take over the top spot. Of course, it’s a huge surf contest and she’s up against a stacked field, including San Clemente pal Kirra Pinkerton (who’s less than 100 points away from her on the WSL rankings) and young Bella Kenworthy (who’s also been ripping in the U.S. Open skateboard event).
Before the U.S. Open, Sibley was hard at work improving her game. Spending a bit of time in the Land Down Under, she finished second in Billabong’s Occy Grom Comp on the Gold Coast. After that, she entered the Paul Mitchell Supergirl Pro in Oceanside, where she held her own against a talent field of international competitors. Billed as “the world’s largest women’s surf event and festival,” Sibley made her first couple of heats before going down in Round 3. Every surfer aspires to go deep in a contest like this, but for 15-year-old Sibley, the experience is invaluable and will serve her well as she pursues loftier ambitions.
Sibley’s also a distinguished member of the United States national development surf team. She’s been logging practice sessions with coach Joey Buran and the rest of the squad in the buildup to the 2020 Olympics. And when it comes to her hometown roots, Sibley was a key member of the San Clemente Board Riders Club’s victory at the recent West Coast Boardriders Cup.
It’s only the first week in August, and the girl has a lot of runway left to accomplish great things this summer.
Discussion about this post