Earlier this month, Nayarit’s junior athletes descended on the national stage for the 2026 CONADE Junior Surf Nationals — and they did not disappoint.

Competing across four disciplines (shortboard, longboard, bodyboard, and stand-up paddleboard), Nayarit’s team brought home 10 gold medals, 6 silver medals, and 6 bronze medals, claiming #1 on the overall team podium — the highest ranking among all competing states.

It’s a result that reflects years of dedicated training, strong coaching, and the kind of ocean-rooted culture that Sayulita has quietly been building for over a decade.

About the Competition

The CONADE Junior Nationals is Mexico’s premier junior surf competition, bringing together athletes from states across the country to compete at a national level. Junior competitors — ages 12 to 18 — are organized into three age categories per gender: Sub14, Sub16, and Sub18.

This year’s event featured four disciplines:

• Shortboard — Sayulita
• Longboard — Sayulita
• Bodyboard — Sayulita
• Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) — Bucerias

The surfing, longboard, and bodyboard events took place on Sayulita’s home break, while the SUP racing was held in Bucerias.

Not every athlete who competed for Nayarit is from Sayulita — but the vast majority trained here or in Punta de Mita. Sayulita’s consistent waves, strong coaching culture, and competitive history have made it one of Mexico’s most important development hubs for junior surf talent.

The Results: Nayarit on Top

When the final scores were tallied, Nayarit stood alone at the top of the team standings.

🥇 10 Gold Medals | 🥈 6 Silver Medals | 🥉 6 Bronze Medals #1 Team Podium Overall

Among the medalists with confirmed ties to Sayulita:

• Summer Cecelia Sage
• Maximus Edmund Sage
• Cohen Max Rutherford
• Jack Kiril Hodge
• Jesús Ismael Rangel
• Kira Lucianna Polishuk
• Juan Costa
• Frida Solange Martínez Verdín
• Maximiliano Gamaliel Plascencia

These athletes represent the depth and breadth of Sayulita’s junior surf talent — from SUP racers to shortboarders to longboarders and bodyboarders. Many of them have been competing at the CONADE level for multiple years; others were making their national debuts.

Sayulita as a Training Ground

What makes these results even more remarkable is the context: Sayulita is a small town. It doesn’t have a large population, a major sports infrastructure, or a national budget behind its athletes. What it has is the ocean, experienced coaches, a tight-knit surf community, and a culture that has always pushed young riders to go further.

Year after year, the CONADE results reflect that. Nayarit’s athletes — trained predominantly in Sayulita and Punta de Mita — consistently punch well above their weight at the national level.

The 2026 result, a #1 team finish, is a testament not just to the individual athletes but to everyone who supports them: the coaches, the families, the local surf schools, and the community that shows up every time.

Photos from the Event

Photos from the surfing and bodyboard events: 📸 Instagram — Surfing & Bodyboard

Photos from the SUP racing: 📸 Instagram — SUP Racing

Podium photos: 📸 Instagram — Podiums 📸 Instagram — More podiums

A special shoutout to Alex Ostrowski — Sayulita Life’s own Social Media Manager and one of the coaches for Sayulita’s SUP team at this year’s CONADE event. Wearing two hats has never looked so good. We couldn’t be more proud, Alex! 🏄

Congratulations to every athlete who competed, and to the coaches and families who made it possible. Sayulita is SO proud of you.