Wait till next year.

That's the mantra the Verizon Wireless Hawai'i Junior Surf Team is taking after a runner-up finish at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship last week at Auckland, New Zealand.

For the second consecutive year, Hawai'i placed second to Australia in the final team standings. Australia won it for the fifth consecutive year.

The grueling eight-day contest is considered the world championship for surfers age 18 and younger.

"Australia has so many surfers to choose from, and they get such great support, they're always going to be the favorite," Hawai'i head coach Rainos Hayes said. "We're pleased with the silver (medal), because truthfully, we thought this was going to be a rebuilding year for us. Now we're excited to go back next year and win the whole thing."

It will help to have this experience. Eleven of the 12 surfers on the Hawai'i team are eligible to return next year.

Leading the way will be Alessa Quizon of Wai'anae. She had quite a month to start 2010.

On Jan. 2, she turned 16. On Jan. 16, she placed second at the Billabong ASP Junior World Championships at Sydney, Australia. That event is the world championship for surfers 21 and younger.

She went straight from Australia to New Zealand, and then placed second in the Girls 18 division last week.

"I'm just very amazed how I accomplished that," said Quizon, a sophomore at Wai'anae High. "I didn't want to expect too much so I'm thrilled I made both finals."

Hayes calls Quizon "a natural. She's at the top of her sport for her age right now. At her best, she's extremely creative. For her to finish second against the older girls in Australia, and follow that up with another second place in New Zealand really shows what kind of talent she has."

She's not the only talented surfer on the Hawai'i roster.

Koa Smith of Kaua'i placed third in the Boys 16 division in his first year at the world junior championship.

"Probably the biggest thing I've ever done," he said.

Tanner Hendrickson of Maui placed fifth in the Boys 18 division . He is the only surfer who will be too old to compete next year. He went out with a flourish, surfing in nine repechage heats before finally getting eliminated in the repechage final.

"In a way I'm really happy and proud of what I did, but in a way I'm kind of bummed," Hendrickson said. "I felt like I was one heat, one place and one point away from being in the grand final and that could have helped Hawai'i get gold."

Malia Manuel of Kaua'i placed sixth in the Girls 18 division; Keanu Asing of 'Ewa placed seventh in the Boys 18 division. Other members of the Hawai'i team were Kaimana Jaquias, Ezekiel Lau, Kain Daly, Ian Gentil, Isaiah Moniz, Leila Hurst and Nage Melamed.

Each division had more than 60 surfers from around the world. Hawai'i was the only team to have all of its surfers place in the top 25 of the final individual standings.

The dates and location of next year's world junior championship have yet to be announced.

"Where ever it is, we'll be ready," Hayes said. "It's about being athletes, not just surfers. So our preparation starts (today)."