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Lukas Skinner: World champion young surfer welcomed home

BBC Lukas SkinnerBBC
Lukas Skinner is the first British surfer to win the Ripcurl Grom Search final

Surfer Lukas Skinner has been given a hero's welcome home after winning a major international competition.

The 15-year-old, from Perranporth, Cornwall, beat competitors from around the world to win the World Grom Search Finals in Australia.

Lukas said being the first British surfer to hold the title was "special" and a "surreal" experience.

It means he follows in the footsteps of world champions Gabriel Medina and Stephanie Gilmore.

Robert Blackett Lukas SkinnerRobert Blackett
Lukas shows the form at home in Cornwall that took him to the top of the world

'So surreal'

Lukas said the win was seen as the traditional "start of every world champs career".

"It was so good to go to Australia for the first time and just experience new things, it was so surreal, I was surfing with the best surfers in the world and to be around them, it was the best thing I could ask for," he said.

Lukas was also crowned the U16 champion at the Rip Curl Grom Search European Final 2023 in Morocco in February.

Lukas Skinner and Ben Skinner
Father Ben Skinner, 11 times European longboarding champion, said he believed his son had what it takes to surf at the 2028 Olympics

Lukas started surfing at the age of three with his dad Ben Skinner - an 11 times European longboarding champion.

Mr Skinner said: "We're just so proud of him, he's just achieving everything that he puts his mind to, got some big dreams and goals and just keeps going all the way.

"I think 2028 is a huge possibility for Lukas to make it to the Olympics, I think this is proof of what he's just achieved."

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