UK teenager becomes best young surfer in the world!

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

15-year-old Lukas Skinner has certainly been riding a wave of success after he won a major international surf competition!

The teenager from Cornwall finished in top spot in the World Grom Search Finals in Australia - and has been crowned the best under-16 surfer in the world!

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

Not only that, after returning home Lukas was back in action and picked up second place in the English Championships too!

15-year-old Lukas in action

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

He was in good form going into the competition, having been crowned the under-16 champion at the Rip Curl Grom Search European Final 2023 earlier this year.

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

He explained: "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 added.

Lukas (on the left) standing next to Luke on the podium at the English National Championships

After returning home there was no rest for Lukas as he took part in the English Championships in the Cornish seaside town of Newquay.

He ended up finishing second behind his surfing friends Luke Dillon, who won the championship for the fourth time in a row.

The pair are now hoping for a place in the Olympics in 2024.

Lukas's dad said he was thrilled with his son's win and had high hopes for his future career.

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."