Ho is as well-known a family name as any in surfing.

The next generation is making sure it stays that way.

Siblings Mason Ho and Coco Ho from Sunset Beach were the top Hawai'i surfers at the Billabong World Junior Championships last week at North Narrabeen, Australia.

Mason placed third in the junior men's division; Coco placed third in the junior women's division. The contest is considered the world championship for surfers age 21 and younger.

They are the children of Michael Ho, a world-title contender and Triple Crown of Surfing champion in the 1970s and '80s.

"I was fine with them doing whatever they wanted, but it so happened they both liked surfing," Michael said. "Now we're having fun with it — all of us."

Mason, 18, just completed his professional rookie season.

Coco, 15, is a sophomore at Myron B. Thompson Academy, and is one of Hawai'i's top-ranked female amateur surfers.

Their performances in Australia were somewhat surprising for different reasons.

Mason did not qualify for the World Junior Championships, but he received a wildcard entry.

"That's where having my dad really helps," Mason said. "He knows a lot of people in the (Association of Surfing Professionals) and I think that helped me get in the contest."

Coco was one of the youngest surfers in the junior women's field, and the smallest at 5 feet and 87 pounds.

"The intimidation is there a little bit when I look at some of the bigger girls," she said. "But I just kept saying to have fun with it and find those lucky waves. I wasn't expecting anything, so I definitely shocked myself and I was really happy with how I ended up doing."

It helped both Mason and Coco that their dad and uncle — former world champion Derek Ho — taught them how to surf. Brian Ho, the mother of Mason and Coco, does not surf but "she's like our cheerleader," Coco said.

Michael, Mason and Coco still surf together when Mason is not competing on the World Qualifying Series.

"My brother's on a different level, so he kind of goes away from us now," Coco said. "But I surf right next to my dad and we have our little competitions. When ever one of us gets a good wave, we like to say 'I'm smoking you.' "

Michael said both his children have surpassed his passion for surfing.

"Now days, they surf twice as much as I do," he said. "If I don't want to go with them, it's like 'OK, see you later Dad.' "

When it's just the kids surfing, Mason becomes the mentor. In Australia, they watched each other's heats and gave each other advice in between phone calls from Michael, who stayed in Hawai'i and kept track of the results via the Internet

"It blows my mind every time I surf with her because she improves every time," Mason said of Coco. "She's a really fast learner."

Michael is 49, and is still considered a stalwart in North Shore waves. He is on the list of invited surfers for the prestigious Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.

"It's like he's not human sometimes," Mason said of his father. "Just when I think I'm getting better than him, he'll show me that he's faster than me still."

But with all the help that comes from having a father and uncle with championship genes, there is also the pressure to uphold the family's tradition of surfing success.

"I think there's more pressure on Mason because he's a male," Coco said. "I'm kind of like the first female surfing in the family, so I can make my own path."

Mason said: "I'm used to it already, and I keep it positive. To me, the pressure is like a nice fire to have on your behind. It keeps you going."

Michael said both his children have maintained a championship demeanor regardless of the results.

"I think I'm the one that stresses out the most," he said. "The kids, I know they love surfing and they're happy doing this. That's the main thing."

HAWAI'I JUNIORS WILL COMPETE AT SUNSET

Mason Ho and most of Hawai'i's top ranked junior men's surfers will compete in the Hard Rock Cafe Junior Pro next week.

The contest will run on the two best days at Sunset Beach between Jan. 16 and 25. The top performers will earn points toward qualifying for the 2008 World Junior Championships at Australia.

"This is a great chance for the juniors to take it to a new level," said David Riddle, who coaches several of the junior men's competitors. "And the venue is suitable because what we're training these kids to do, really, is to become successful pros.

"Perhaps one day, these junior surfers will compete for world titles at Sunset Beach and they can look back at these junior events and know how it's done."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.