(Monday, February 8, 2010) - With the completion of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships earlier this month (won by Maxime Huscenot (REU) and Laura Enever (AUS) respectively), ASP International has confirmed the activation of the ASP World Junior Tour.

"The WJT provides additional opportunity for junior surfers to establish a career as a professional surfer and to really make a name for themselves as ASP World Junior Champion." Brodie Carr, ASP International CEO, said.

The Oakley ASP World Junior event will be the first stop on the 2010 ASP World Junior Tour, running at the high-performance wave of Keramas in Bali from October 2 - 13, 2010.

"As junior surfing expands globally, surfers are qualifying for the ASP Dream Tour while still competing in junior events," Ronny Nelson, Oakley Sports Marketing Manager said. "Pro junior surfing is bridging the gap for surfers who have grown up competing in six-man and four-man heats. This new format creates an even playing field for the world's juniors as they start their careers at a young age. It all keeps the sport youthful and dynamic and everyone is excited to watch the action."

The Billabong ASP World Junior Championships has run for more than a decade and remains unchallenged as the benchmark for high-performance junior surfing and an accurate gauge on the future stars of the sport. The transition to a three-event ASP World Junior only heightens the importance of the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships, with momentum building throughout the season for the crowning of the undisputed ASP World Junior Champion.

Similar to years past, athletes will compete on their respective regional ASP Pro Junior Series throughout the season to qualify for the ASP World Junior Tour. Qualification for the ASP WJT will be based off of regional results from January 1 through August 31, 2010.

The inaugural ASP World Junior Tour will see six representatives from ASP Australasia, ASP South America, ASP North America and ASP Europe, five representatives from ASP Africa, ASP Hawaii and ASP Japan, and additional wildcards to make up the 48-man field. The ASP World Junior Tour events will also feature an 18-woman field, which will crown the undisputed ASP Women's World Junior Champion.

The undisputed ASP World Junior Champions will be the No. 1 ranked male and female surfer after the completion of the ASP World Junior Tour.

While the ASP World Junior Tour is presently at two events, organizers are looking to add one event in 2010 for a three-event tour.

"Having a multi-event tour for our junior surfers has been a long-standing goal for the ASP and we are pleased to broaden and support our existing tours for men, women and longboards, by adding this tour for our junior surfers," Carr said. " ASP will continue to explore every avenue to develop all our tours in the crowning of undisputed World Champions."

ASP WORLD JUNIOR TOUR SCHEDULE Oakley ASP World Junior Event, Bali/Indonesia - October 2 - 13, 2010 Billabong ASP World Junior Championships, Australia - January 8 - 16, 2011