The world’s best longboarders are preparing for the penultimate stop on the 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Longboard Tour, the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic Presented by Corona. The event will decide who earns their place in the Longboard Championships Qualification and have a chance to compete for the 2023 World Title in Malibu. El Sunzal is a premier point break that will provide a great platform for world-class performances. The Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic holds an event window from September 19 through September 25, 2023.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be heading back to El Salvador and have the opportunity to showcase the world’s best longboarders on a pristine point break at El Sunzal,” said Will Hayden-Smith, WSL Tours and Competition Senior Manager. “This event plays a pivotal role in determining who will be vying for a 2023 World Title. We can’t thank our hosts at the Corporacion Salvadoreña de Turismo enough for welcoming us back to watch those scenarios unfold.”

This will be the WSL’s second event in El Salvador this year. Punta Roca hosted Stop No. 7 on the Championship Tour (CT) and now El Sunzal is ready to welcome the WSL Longboard Tour’s standout competitors. The rankings couldn’t be closer heading into the final stop of the WSL Longboard Tour regular season before the Championships. This event will be key in determining the Top 8 men and Top 8 women who will compete at the Original Sprout Malibu Longboard Championships Presented by Tractor Beverage Co. in October. Nearly all the competitors have an opportunity to earn their place in the World Title showdown.

Southern California’s Taylor Jensen (USA) heads to the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic ranked No. 1. He hopes to hold onto that position as he goes up against the likes of current No. 2, 2022 World Title runner-up Kaniela Stewart (HAW), recent Bioglan Bells Beach Longboard Classic victor Kai Sallas (HAW), Australian upstart Declan Wyton (AUS), and a plethora of Longboard Tour veterans.

“It feels really good to be at No. 2 on the rankings, definitely a really comfortable spot to be in,” said Stewart. “Huntington was an event that I feel like would’ve been one of my lowest results. It changes every single heat, so I was just trying to do pretty good at that event. Going into Bells and El Salvador, they’re right point breaks, and that’s right down my alley.”

Reigning WSL Longboard Champion Soleil Errico (USA) has already officially qualified for the Original Sprout Malibu Longboard Championships, and is looking to earn back-to-back World Titles. But, she will have to overcome three-time WSL Longboard Champion Honolua Blomfield (HAW), World Title threat Kelis Kaleopa’a (HAW), Longboard Tour veterans Alice Lemoigne (FRA) and Chloé Calmon (BRA), and more at El Sunzal to retain that No. 1 spot heading into her World Title defense.

Calmon is again back in the World Title fight after her Semifinal finish at Bells Beach.

“I’m really excited to be in El Salvador right now and to have Sunzal as one of the stops for our Tour,” said Calmon. “It’s such a good longboard wave for long nose rides and also big turns. It’s nice that we have world-class waves on Tour. I’ve been watching the shortboard Finals each year, and it’s so exciting. It still hasn’t sunk in that we’re going to be facing those same scenarios. We still have one more big event here next week, so I’ll be as present as I can, solidifying my rank and maybe trying to better my position.”

Those sitting just outside the Longboard Championships qualification line are looking for their first big result of the 2023 season to take control of their own destiny.

Watch LIVE: Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic Presented by Corona
The Surf City El Salvador Longboard Classic Presented by Corona will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL’s YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

On a very average day in Bali, Mason Ho hits one of his favourite waves near Uluwatu on a trusted Lost 1996 fish.

Filming: Rory Pringle.

Good ol’ fashioned surfing flicks, just for kicks, more from the Lost crew below.

And we are back!

After a lengthy, lazy…and somewhat hazy, break, we have returned. For two and a half months, we’ve made you wait, but to be brutally straight, it’s really quite great.

Episode 6: Good ol’ fashioned surfing flicks, just for kicks.

The action starts back in Hawaii, with Ian Crane and The Cola Brothers thrashing about, out front, along the most famous stretch of sand and reef on Earth. Bouncing between Off The Wall, Backdoor and Pipe, Crane and the Brothers make everything feel fun, easy and all right. Hassling, hollering, hot dogging and even the odd tube hounding, in typical, windswept sloppy, powerful, pounding waves on the apex of the Seven Mile Miracle.

Cant get enough of Crane?

We feel the same.

He’s good for the Brain!

Follow Ian as he heads back to Indonesia, for some truly Macking Mentawais.

Repeatedly rocking his tiny Ca_TwinPin into unpredictable, crazy caverns, making the menacing and difficult look almost easy and enjoyable, with his trademark brand of backhand sorcery.

Going full circle, we wind up back where we began, catching up with Griffin and Kolohe (with a cameo by Mason)  as they trade off beautiful Backdoor barrels, over reef and a bit of sand. Presented in mind massaging slow motion, allowing us to absorb the minutia of movements required to deftly navigate technical tubes. A relaxing romp, for our weary minds.

Don’t forget the Credits, with all sorts of fun, including Crane and Rasta Rob‘s Hawaii house fun, Griff n little Luke Lopez at Lowers and other tidy tid-bits.

Finally, once and for all, stick around for the bonus section…

The obligatory “Girls On Film!”

…No. It’s not a bikini contest.