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In a fairy-tale debut, 16-year-old Amani Cole—born in Atlanta to Kenyan parents and training full-time in Malindi since 2024—won the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship (U-18 Girls) on September 14, 2025, at Shanzu Reef. Competing against 64 athletes, Cole dominated the final with two 8.5+ rides, showcasing aerial reverses rarely seen in African surfing. Her victory, Kenya’s first global title in ocean sports, ignited a surf boom along the coast: 12 new surf schools opened in Kilifi and Lamu within weeks. The Kenya Surfing Federation, recognized by NOCK only in 2023, received KSh 35 million in SportPesa funding. Mombasa made me fearless, said Cole, who plans to represent Kenya at LA 2028—if surfing remains on the program.