HE’S one of four Australian world champions competing on the world surfing tour but Joel Parkinson is tipping there will be two new members of the elite club pretty soon.
Parkinson says recently crowned world junior champions Macy Callaghan and Ethan Ewing both have what it take to reach the top echelon of the new Olympic sport.
Parkinson won his maiden world crown in 2012. He and two-time winner Mick Fanning are the only Australian world champions currently competing on the men’s tour.
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Reigning champion Tyler Wright and six-time winner Stephanie Gilmore are both competing on the women’s tour in 2017.
Parkinson believes the likes of teen tyros Callaghan and Ewing will be vying for the same crown sooner rather than later.
“I wouldn't be surprised if Macy is one of our next world champions and Ethan is going to shock some people on the tour this year,’’ Parkinson said.
“Both of them are the real deal. Surfing here in Australia is in a really healthy place.’’
Ewing, 18, will be the youngest surfer on the men’s world surf league this year while Callaghan, 16, and still at school on the Central Coast, is expected to make the grade within a year or two.
Both honed their competition skills on the seven-event Subway surf series, now in its third year and helping deliver a steady stream of young surfers to the elite ranks of the sport.
“In less than three years this has delivered Ethan and Macy,’’ said Parkinson from the second leg of the series which runs until Wednesday at Cronulla.
“We knew when the series started it was really going to push the talent along.’’
Callaghan is chasing her third surfing event win in just three weeks at the Subway event after winning the world junior crown at Kiama earlier this month and the Carve Pro Maroubra on the weekend.
“I feel better the more surfing I do,’’ Callaghan said. “I’m so young I just love to surf whenever I can.’’
Callaghan’s early season goal is to earn a spot in the trials event for the Roxy Pro, the opening event of the women’s surf league in March.