A teenage champion surfer has set his sights on the 2028 Olympics - where he hopes to compete alongside his dad.<br /><br />Lukas Skinner, 15, is already making waves in the watersport.<br /><br />He came second in the junior world championships last month - after winning a major international competition earlier this year.<br /><br />Lukas, from Perranporth, Cornwall, comes from a surfing family.<br /><br />His dad Ben Skinner is a multiple longboarding champion and his two younger siblings are both talented surfers too.<br /><br />Speaking today (Mon) from the Wave, an inland surf destination, Lukas said the Los Angeles games in five years is his goal.<br /><br />And he hopes longboard is featured as an event - so Ben can compete too.<br /><br />Lukas said: "Longboarding looks like it's maybe going to be in the Olympics and my dad's a longboarder so he's looking to go for that.<br /><br />"If we can both get in the 2028 Olympics that's the big goal."<br /><br />Lukas beat competitors from around the world to win the World Grom Search Finals in Australia in April.<br /><br />He said at the being the first British surfer to hold the title was "special" and a "surreal" experience.<br /><br />And the teen came away from the ISA World Junior Championships with a silver earlier this month - after breaking his foot just months before.<br /><br />He won every heat on his way to the under 16s final at Macumba Beach in Rio de Janeiro.<br /><br />And Lukas was less than half a point away from the winner, Spaniard Hans Odriozola, also 15.<br /><br />Lukas said he tries to balance his international success with the normal life of a schoolboy.<br /><br />He said: "It's super hard but my school have been amazing - they've been really supportive and made it work. <br /><br />"Trying to make it work is hard but I'm doing my best."<br /><br />Lukas says his first memories of being "in the water" start aged two.<br /><br />He said: "From five I remember surfing with friends - I still surf there now.<br /><br />"It's always been a big thing, especially watching my dad. <br /><br />"It's a really good time to be at this age in surfing - it's been amazing."<br /><br />Now Lukas' younger sister, aged 13, and younger brother, aged eight, surf too - with sister Lila on the Team England Junior squad. <br /><br />And there are hopes there could be the whole family at future Olympics. <br /><br />Lukas said: "The fire [my dad] gets from competition has followed on to me and I just love competing.<br /><br />"When the surf's good we're always comparing who got the best wave that day. <br /><br />"My sister is progressing so much. It's really cool to see. <br /><br />"And my brother did his first contest the other day and won it. <br /><br />"[Young surfers] just keep believing, it's going to be hard but keep training, keep surfing and stay positive."<br /><br />Lukas was speaking at the Wave, near Bristol, where he trains.<br /><br />His dad Ben is a 12-time European longboarding champion and is currently third on the World Surf League's longboard world rankings.
