SIX World Surf League (WSL) Aussie superstars will represent the nation at this year's International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games after Team Australia named Culburra Beach's Owen Wright and Gerroa's Sally Fitzgibbons in the team alongside Ryan Callinan, Nikki Van Dijk, Stephanie Gilmore and Julian Wilson - in what is the strongest Aussie team ever assembled for the event.
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The 2019 ISA World Surfing Games forms part of the criteria for Olympic qualification as Tokyo 2020 and surfing's debut looms larger than ever with powerhouse nations Brazil, United States and Australia to use the event at Miyazaki, Japan, as a rehearsal for the big show.
There is none prouder to represent her country than Sally Fitzgibbons, the defending 2018 ISA World Surfing Games women's gold medallist.
"We don't get to experience that team culture as a group very often," Fitzgibbons said.
"To come together as Aussies and really have that intention of being there for each other and our country is powerful."
"I think the rehearsal vibe for what an Olympic Games would be like and the energy at this year's ISA World Games is going to be perfect to continue to build the performance culture within Team Australia."
According to the Olympic qualification system, the top 10 eligible men and eight women, maximum two per country, at the end of the 2019 WSL CT season, will earn qualification slots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
This end-of-year ranking will also be used to determine who is nominated to be members of their national surfing teams at the 2020 WSG.
The 2019 ISA World Surfing Games is also an Olympic surfing qualifier itself, awarding Tokyo 2020 slots on a continental basis to the top finishing eligible man and women from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania.
The Americas' qualification slots will be determined at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games in July.
"Since the inclusion of our sport into the Olympics, the journey has been an exciting one," Surfing Australia's national high performance director Kim Crane said.
"I'm so proud of our Aussie athletes, their coaches and performance support staff in how they're working together in readiness for the opportunities ahead.
"Factoring how we can best support our team to prepare both as a group and as individuals in among their already hectic WSL schedules is the big challenge that we are all-embracing."
The World Surfing Games get underway on September 7 with the parade of nations and opening ceremony before a potential start to competition on the same day - with the event window ending on September 15.
"This team selection was always going to be hotly contested, as the quality of Australian athletes we have competing on the world stage are the best at what they do," Surfing Australia's coach Bede Durbidge, said.
"The group we will take to Japan in September for the ISA's will be ready, and will be going all out to perform at their best for their country and I cannot wait to lead them."
