Marks Claims Back-to-Back Victories in El Salvador While Florence Scores Perfect 10 En Route to Event Win.
Caroline Marks (USA) and John John Florence (HAW) won the Surf City El Salvador Pro Presented by Corona, Stop No. 7 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2024 Championship Tour (CT). Marks and Florence emerged as the best of a stacked field in the three-to-four-foot waves at El Salvador’s Punta Roca, also known as La Punta or Punta Chilama.
The results also affected the World Rankings seeing a shuffle within the Top 5 as Florence secured his place into the WSL Finals, and Marks moved to World No. 2 as she takes another step closer to defending her World Title. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) moves to No. 3, with Molly Picklum(AUS) and Johanne Defay (FRA) moving down one place but still among the Top 5. Jack Robinson (AUS) moved to No. 2, with Griffin Colapinto (USA), Ethan Ewing (AUS), and Jordy Smith (RSA) holding the remaining Top 5 spots.
PUNTA ROCA, LA LIBERTAD, EL SALVADOR - JUNE 9: WSL Champion Caroline Marks of the United States surfs in the Final of the at the Surf City El Salvador Pro on June 9, 2024 at Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador. (Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)
PUNTA ROCA, LA LIBERTAD, EL SALVADOR - JUNE 9: WSL Champion Caroline Marks of the United States after winning the final at the Surf City El Salvador Pro on June 9, 2024 at Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador. (Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)
“That feels really good, and El Salvador is always so good to me," said Marks. “It kickstarted my campaign to win the World Title last year. I love Punta Roca. It was also really cool to have a Final with Gabby [Bryan]. She’s a really good friend of mine on Tour, and winning feels good. I’m really happy. That’s why I’m here. I want to win as many World Titles as I can, and I’m super aware of how hard it is to get one, but I just need to focus on myself and my performances. I would absolutely love to go back-to-back to be the World Champion, but for now, I’m just going to enjoy this.”
The Final heated up right away with Marks unleashing her signature backhand power to accrue a 7.00 (out of a possible 10) over 2022 Rookie of the Year Gabriela Bryan (HAW). A quick backup put Marks firmly in the lead, with Bryan’s minimal score line requiring a near-perfect 9.70 to overtake the defending event victor, Marks. Reigning WSL Champion Marks then utilized her priority to secure the best score heat with a 7.40 at the 14-minute mark, and put Bryan into a combination situation, meaning she needed two new scores to match Marks.
But, Bryan showed her resilience and got out of the combination situation before nearly taking the lead from Marks in the final moments, falling just 0.34 short of her requirement.
“The waves were amazing since the first day I got here,” said Marks. “Thank you, Surf City, for being so welcoming and all the fans and Punta Roca for providing all the waves. It was a dream week for me. It feels good to be back in winning form, and it sets me up really nicely for the rest of the year. I want to be back in the Finals.”
PUNTA ROCA, LA LIBERTAD, EL SALVADOR - JUNE 9: Two-time WSL Champion John John Florence of Hawaii surfs in the Final of the Surf City El Salvador Pro on June 9, 2024 at Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador. (Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)
PUNTA ROCA, LA LIBERTAD, EL SALVADOR - JUNE 9: Two-time WSL Champion John John Florence of Hawaii after winning the final at the Surf City El Salvador Pro on June 9, 2024 at Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador. (Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)
Florence’s win today secures his place in the WSL Final 5. The two-time WSL Champion hasn’t competed in the WSL Finals since its inception and looks to retain the No. 1 spot heading to Lower Trestles. He currently holds a 10,740-point lead over No. 2 Jack Robinson (AUS).
“That’s for Darwin, oh my god, I’m so stoked,” said Florence, dedicating the win to his new-born son. “I’m just super stoked to win an event. In the end, I was thinking not another second, I gotta get the win in this one then, when he [Yaog Dora] got that 9, I just thought, ‘Oh no, there’s going to be sets,’ but then it just went flat. I can’t believe it. I’m just feeling so good with where I’m at right now, my headspace, everything. My wife back home, my wife and my son, my mom and brothers, just everyone. I can’t believe it.”
The men’s Final witnessed more jaw-dropping progression from both Florence and Yago Dora (BRA), with Florence taking command early to post a 16.33 (out of a possible 20) heat total. Florence’s wave selection kept him in form, but Dora fired back with more of his explosive tendencies and soared to a near-perfect 9.77 (out of a possible 10) under priority. The action-packed start slowed as conditions went silent heading into the final horn, and Florence emerged victorious for the first time since winning the CT at Pipeline in 2020.
“That was tough and I got a little lucky in the end with it going flat,” said Florence. “I think I just feel light, and I feel good. My wife and I have our son, and it’s just been such a good year. Coming into the year, there’s so much going on: having a baby, the Olympics, the Tour, and everything. It was a lot, but it’s just been so much fun and better than I could’ve imagined. This will be my first time making it to the WSL Finals, but there’s still work to be done, and I want to be leading going into it and have the best chance possible.”