#SURFING - The Irish Junior Surf Team departed yesterday for southwestern France to compete at the 2012 European Junior Surfing Championship at Lacanau-Océan which kicks off tomorrow.

The 19-strong team includes flagbearer Iarom Madden Traver and Cian Cagney in the U18 Boys division, Aaron O'Hare and Gearoid Mc Daid in the U16 Boys and Garbhan Mc Closkey and Dylan Noonan in the U14s Boys.

Ireland will be represented in the U18 Girls by Ayesha Garvey and Rachel Moore, while Eoin O'Malley Daly will compete in the Longboard event.

Meanwhile, Odhran McGovern and Kevin McGowan will challenge for the U18 Bodyboard, Cian McGovern and Oisin Cogan are in the U16 Bodyboards, and Meadb McCloskey is in the field for the U18 Girls Bodyboard.

Among the coaching staff joining the group are Irish Surf Team coach Pascal Devine and top female surf coach Shauna Ward, along with world-class bodyboarder Shane Meehan and U18 reserve Donough Cronin, who will both act as judges.

Heats will commence on Sunday 9 September running throughout the week, with the grand finals to take place the following Sunday 16 September.

The Irish Surfing Assocation has more HERE.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Glenn Hall as knocked out in the round of 16 at the ASP 6-Star San Miguel Pro Zarautz last week.

The Irish surf pro has established some impressive totals throughout the competition in Spain's Basque Country, but even his 13.40 in the fifth round wasn't enough to hold off the challenge of Ramzi Boukhiam, with the Moroccan pipping him by just 0.13 points.