12-year-old Dagen Duczek is a World Champion after winning the Junior Division at the 2019 World Wake Surfing Championships in Ogden, Utah.
One of eight riders competing in the Junior Division, Duczek had a solid run on Day 1 to finish first in his heat and advance to the World Championship Final on Saturday.
At the Pineview Reservoir, Duczek dominated the four-rider Final, landing a 360-shuv, backside 180, switch big, revert 360 and back big spin, which made him the first Junior to event land the back big in competition.
“It was amazing,” said Duczek. “I was riding against some unbelievable riders and I knew I had to lay it down out there.”
“I’m so thankful to my brother for pushing me all season, my dad for driving me all summer, all my sponsors and family for believing in me and supporting me,” added Duczek. “The surf community is like a family and it was an experience I will never forget. I can’t explain how it felt at the end of my run on Saturday.”
Dagen and his brother Ryder are both from Cranbrook but ride and train out at Tie Lake.
140 riders from 11 countries competed across 17 divisions at the Centurion Boats 2019 World Wake Surfing Championship. In order to qualify, all riders had to be ranked amongst the top 8 riders in their respective divisions and categories.
