The 2023 Surf Tournaments in El Salvador Conclude. The ALAS Surf City El Salvador Pro Was the Last

By Eddie Galdamez  | Updated on Nov 13th, 2023
Surf Tournaments in El SalvadorEl Salvador Surf. Photo by ISAsurfing

Once again, the 2023 Surf Tournaments in El Salvador brought attention to the excellent Salvadoran surfing spots and the Surf City El Salvador project. This year, the country hosted six top-level international surf tournaments.

The ALAS Surf City El Salvador Pro, held at Las Flores Beach, was the last international surf tournament of the year hosted in El Salvador.

The 2023 surf tournaments in El Salvador were the ISA Longboard Championship, ISA World Surfing Games, WSL Surf City Pro, Central American and Caribbean Games, WSL Longboard Classic, and the ALAS Pro Tour.

2024 Surf tournaments in El Salvador
Org Event Date Location
WSL Surf City El Salvador Pro Jun 6 – Jun 15 Punta Roca beach

SEE ALSO: El Salvador Tourism: A Journey Through Pristine Beaches, Colorful Towns, and Enchanting Parks

Surf Tournaments in El Salvador
Paddle out is a gesture to honor people who are no longer with us. Image by @surfcity.

The surf tournaments in El Salvador are held at some of the best surf spots in El Salvador and Central America, such as Punta Roca, El Sunzal, La Bocana, Las Flores, and El Zonte. These beaches are part of the Surf City El Salvador project and are some of the best beaches in El Salvador.

World Surf League Surf City El Salvador Pro

Jun 6-15 at Punta Roca Beach

Once again, El Salvador will be hosting the World Surf League (WSL) Surf City El Salvador Pro competition. The surf tournament is scheduled for June 6 to 15 at Punta Roca Beach in La Libertad.

2023 Surf Tournaments in El Salvador

2023 Surf tournaments in El Salvador
Org Event Date Location
ISA Surf City World Longboard Championship May 7 – 13 El Sunzal
ISA Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games May 30 – Jun 7 El Sunzal/La Bocana
WSL Surf City El Salvador Pro Jun 9 – Jun 18 Punta Roca beach
Central American and Caribbean Games Jun 23 – Jul 8 Punta Roca beach
WSL Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic Sep 19 – Sep 25 El Sunzal
ALAS Surf City El Salvador pro tour Nov 9 – Nov 12 Las Flores

2023 ISA Surf City World Longboard Championship

May 7-13 at El Sunzal Beach

French surfers dominated the ISA Surf City World Longboard Championship. France claimed the men’s and women’s world titles and the team competition.

Antoine Delpero of France won the men’s division, with Brazil’s Carlos Bahia finishing in second place. French surfer Edouard Delpero finished third, and Rogelio Esquieviel Jr. from the Philippines fourth.

First place in the women’s division went to Alice Le Moigne of France, followed by Maria Reyes from Peru. Chloe Calmon from Brazil ended in third place, with French surfer Zoe Grospiron in fourth.

Yesterday we finished 1 of the 6 surf tournaments that we will hold this year. Once again, the country proved to be a good host for international events and a good destination to visit.” Morena Valdez, Salvadoran Tourism Minister.

This type of sports jousts position El Salvador as an attractive tourist destination, since the natural resources that the country has are an attraction for both local and foreign visitors.

Longboard Surfing in El Salvador
2023 ISA Surf City World Longboard Championship. Image by Morena Valdez.

2023 ISA Surf City World Surfing Games

May 30 to Jun 7 at La Bocana & El Sunzal

On June 7, the Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games Concluded. Mexico’s Alan Cleland won first place in the men’s divisions, and Lucca Mesinas from Peru finished second. Peru’s Miguel Tudela got third place, and Kanoa Igarashi from Japan finished fourth.

Tati Weston Webb from Brazil won the women’s division, and Canadia Erin Brooks finished second. Johanne Defay ended third and Vahiné Fierro fourth, both women part of the French delegation.

Peru won first place in the country competition, followed by France, Brazil, and Japan. 63 Countries were represented at this surf tournament.

Morena Valdez, the Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, highlighted the participation of Iranian Setaré Mazjari, who represented her country in surfing for the first time, and is historic that this happened in El Salvador. “I am happy to see more female surfers pursuing the Olympic dream,” added the minister.

Thank you very much El Salvador for being the center of surfing. It is the best World Surfing Games in history. I have no doubt.” ISA president Fernando Aguerre.

El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games
El Salvador Surf. Photo by ISAsurfing

WSL Surf City El Salvador Pro

Jun 9-18 at Punta Roca Beach

The 2023 World Surf League Surf City El Salvador Pro concluded with Brazilian Felipe Toledo winning first place in the men’s division. Caroline Marks from the United States won the women’s division.

Brazilian Filipe Toledo defeated Griffin Colapinto from the United States in the men’s division. Caroline Marks from the United States defeated Tyler Wright from Australia in the women’s division.

Filipe Toledo stated the following regarding El Salvador and its surfing spots.

El Salvador is a paradise for the right and the people who receive us are all very open. One stays calm; I feel like I’m in my second home here.” Felipe Toledo.

Carolina Marks
Carolina Marks Surfing in El Salvador. Photo by @Caroline_Marks3

Central American and Caribbean Games

Jun 23 to Jul 8 at Punta Roca Beach

The Surf events of the Central American and Caribbean Games concluded on June 29; the competition took place at Punta Roca Beach in La Libertad. During these games, men and women competed for medals in three categories, longboard, shortboard, and bodyboard.

Longboard

In the men’s longboard division, Salvadoran Amado Alvarado won the gold, Mexican Roberto Poo won the silver, and the bronze went to Costa Rican Anthonny Mesen.

The gold in the women’s division went to Sindy Portillo from El Salvador, the silver to Roan Reyes from Costa Rica, and the bronze medal to Coral Bonillo from Mexico.

Shortboard

In the men’s division, Sebastian Williams from Mexico won gold in the shortboard division; it was followed by Francisco Bellorin of Venezuela, and Salvadoran Brayan Alas finished third, winning the bronze.

The gold medal in the women’s division went to Chelsea Tauch from Barbados; the silver went to Puerto Rican Havanna Cabrero, and the silver to Shelby Detmers from Mexico.

Bodyboard

Men’s bodyboard gold medal went to Panamas Edwin Nuñes, the Silver to Venezuela’s Jesus Arocha, and the Bronze to Mexico’s Alfonso Aguilar.

In the women’s division, Veronica Correa from Panama won the gold, Anais Mendoza from Puerto Rico the Silver, and Venezuela’s Rosmarky Alvarez won the bronze medal.

Playas de El Salvador
Salvadoran gold medalist Sindy Portillo (longboard)

WSL Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic

Sep 19-25 at El Sunzal Baech

The 2023 World Surf League Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic concluded on September 22; the competition took place at El Sunzal Beach in La Libertad. During these games, men and women competed for a spot in the Malibu Longboard Championship set to take place in October.

Hawaiian surfers dominated the competition in both men’s and women’s divisions.

The women’s division winner was Hawaiian Sophia Culhane; She defeated fellow Hawaiian surfer Kelis Kaleopaa.

First place in the men’s division went to Hawaiian Kaniela Stewart; he defeated John Michael Van Hohenstein, also a Hawaiian surfer.

Hawaiian Surfer Sophia Culhane
Hawaiian Surfer Sophia Culhane. Image by Diario El Salvador.

ALAS Pro Tour Surf City El Salvador

Nov 9-12 at Las Flores Beach

A spectacular four-day surfing spectacle brimming with excitement concluded on Sunday, November 12, at Las Flores Beach in Eastern El Salvador.

The Surf City El Salvador ALAS Pro Tour champions were announced, along with seven of the eight winners, of the 2022-2023 ALAS Pro Tour.

In the men’s competition, Bryan Perez from El Salvador won the Open Men, and Tony Silvagni from the United States won the Longboard Men division. Noel de la Torre from Chile won first place in the under-18 category, and Thiago Passari from Argentina won the under-14 division.

In the women’s competition, Melanie Giunta from Peru won the Open Women, and Lia Diaz of Costa Rica won the Longboard Women division. Catalina Zariquiey from Peru won both the Women’s Under 14 and Under 18 divisions.

The results from the ALAS Pro Tour Surf City El Salvador competition solidified the positions of seven athletes, who are now the new champions of the ALAS Pro Tour.

  • Melanie Giunta from Peru is the Open Women’s champion
  • Bryan Perez from El Salvador is the Open Men’s champion
  • Julian Schweizer from Uruguay is the Men’s Longboard champion
  • Catalina Zariquiey from Peru is the U18 Women’s champion
  • Maximiliano Sáenz from Ecuador is the U18 Men’s champion
  • Catalina Zariquiey from Peru is the U14 Women’s champion
  • Thiago Passeri from Argentina is the U14 Men’s champion
2023 ALAS Pro
Las Flores Beach in El Salvador. Image by MITUR.