The last six months have seen Culburra Beach sensation Keira Buckpitt continue to take the surfing world by storm.
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Off the back of a huge win in the Australian Junior Online Surf Championships Under 18 Girls title last October and second place finish at the Surfing NSW State Championships in Wollongong in November, Keira has secured her biggest accomplishment yet being selected to be a part of the Australian Junior Irukandjis team to compete at the 2022 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.
Keira was left shocked at the news, and couldn't believe that she was selected.
"I honestly didn't believe it to start with...We (Keira and her mum Justine Buckpitt) were both just in shock," she said.
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"I cried! I was so happy for her. It has been a long road to this point...there has been some disappointments along the way and her resilience has made us so proud," said Justine.
"To be selected by the surfing Australia panel to be a member of the Junior Irukandji team was the best feeling ever. I'm so excited and just so honoured to be representing Australia and travelling overseas," Keira said.
Since she could first stand on a board Keira has been glued to the water, getting on her first waves at the age of four with the Ulladulla Boardriders, who she still rides with today.
Justine always had a feeling Keira was destined for greatness.
"When she first stood on a board she was just so confident," said Justine.
"She was always very coordinated and seemed to always be focused on conquering things she at first she couldn't do. Keeping up with her brothers definitely helped her to develop nerves of steal."
Keira always dreamed she would one day represent Australia, but never thought it would actually come true.
"I have worked really hard for so long and stuck out some tough blows in competitions at times so it's such a great feeling to have made it," she said.
Keira is one of 12 surfers selected to travel to El Salvador to compete from May 27 through to June 7.
The surf season in El Salvador runs from March to October and coincides with the rainy season. Swells originate from the south and can reach up to three metres high delivering some of the biggest swells in the Pacific Ocean.
"I'm so excited to surf the different breaks over in El Salvador, I have been told they have the best right handers," she said.
With many surfing events under her belt and numerous accolades, Keira approaches each comp with the same attitude.
"I just surf to the best of my ability and put into practice what I've been working on," she said.
Keira will sit on the beach before a comp watching the waves and their patterns and then construct her plan of attack from there for her heat.
"Once I hit the water I just remain calm and try to keep a clear head starting my heat with a good scoring wave," she said.
Keira has some big months of training ahead to prepare her for the trip.
"I train weekly in Corrimal with the Illawarra Surf Academy and will do monthly private sessions with an elite coach. I also currently do a home strength gym program for conditioning. Having so many friends in the surfing community is great because they are always there to guide me as well," she said.
"I will compete in a few competitions in the coming months to keep up my competition strategies and heat management skills."
Surfing Australia will be getting the El Salvador team together in the coming months at the High Performance Centre at Casuarina to work on preparing each of the young athletes for the trip and to meet their coaches.
"Ultimately I would like to get a good result at the comp as I have worked so hard to get here," she said.
"However, I'd also like to come away with happy memories from what I'm sure is going to be an amazing trip and can't wait to make friends along the way."