El Salvador Surf. Photo by 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.
| 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
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
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
| 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
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.
2023 ISA Surf City World Surfing Games
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.
WSL Surf City El Salvador Pro
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.
Central American and Caribbean Games
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.
WSL Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic
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.
ALAS Pro Tour Surf City El Salvador
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
