The Wedge best, biggest and worst wipeouts of the week. here are the top 10 and more.
10. kris espinoza (@h20365)
9. dawson tylers (@dawsontylers)
8. joe suzuki (@joesuzuki_)
7. unknown
6. unknown
5. unknown
4. parker mendenhall (@ocwedge)
3. tanner mcdaniel (@tanner_mcdaniel28)
2. zach levine (@_zachlevine)
1. dawson tylers (@dawsontylers)
GBs Luke Dillon (above) got through to the third round yesterday and will face Italo Ferreira. Stan Norman (below) won his heat against Gabe Medina and Frances Joan Duru. Ok Gabe was a no show, however we are still going to claim it. Irelands Gearoid McDaid put in a great performance taking out Australias Ryan Callinan in his second round heat. Stan and G Man are in the same round three heat. Ellie Turner (below) and Lucy Campbell both finished fourth in her women’s round 2 heat and will surf in the repechage.
Day 2 of competition at the 2021 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games saw more world-class action, including the women’s first chance to compete on the global broadcast at La Bocana.
After having run round 1 at El Sunzal the previous day, Women’s Round 2 moved over to La Bocana where fans all around the world could tune in. The women did not disappoint, putting on impressive performances throughout the afternoon in a building swell arriving to El Salvador.
“We have an incredible record amount of women competing,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre. “There are 121 women here from all continents of the globe, representing the leaps and bounds of growth that women’s surfing has experienced in recent years.
“We’ve made promoting gender equality in surfing an integral part of our mission, and through initiatives such as equal slots in competitions, the ISA Scholarship Program, and free judging courses for women, we are seeing our efforts progress. In the past 3 editions of the event we’ve seen records broken in female participation, a great sign for the future of the sport.
“47% of competitors are women at this event, and we hope to get that to 50% soon, if not more.”
Irelands Gearoid McDaid above.
Filipe Toledo outperforms the field
Brazil’s Filipe Toledo continued the strong showing for Team Brazil, complementing the standout performances on Sunday from his teammates Gabriel Medina, Italo Ferreira, and Tatiana Weston-Webb. Toledo earned the highest heat total of the day by showcasing his repertoire of aerials to earn 17.7 points.
“With everything going on in the world it feels good to have some laughs and a good time,” said Toledo. “It’s amazing to be here seeing all these different countries, all these different talents. It was hard to imagine that I was going to be surfing against someone from a country like Russia. It’s really cool that it’s an environment full of happiness and everyone is having a really good time.”
Brazils Italo Ferreira above.
Toledo advanced through his Round 2 heat as well to remain well positioned in his pursuit of a Gold Medal.
ISA’s Carissa Moore shined on the women’s podium by grabbing the first 9-point ride of the event, beautifully connecting maneuvers from the top to the bottom of the El Sunzal point.
El Salvador’s Bryan Perez pleased the host nation with more superb surfing. The Pan Am Bronze Medalist and Olympic hopeful advanced easily through Men’s Round 2 with a heat total of 14.16.
The future is bright for surfing in Senegal
After advancing through Women’s Main Event Round 1 on Sunday, Senegal’s Imane Signate fell to the Repechage Rounds on Monday, however she spoke about the importance of her participation in this event for surfing at home in Senegal.
“I think it’s very important to be part of this World Championship,” said the 22-year-old Signate.
“Being a woman and surfing in Senegal is not always easy because there are not many of us and it’s not really considered a female sport. Being here is already really good and it shows that there are some Senegalese women up and coming. I may be one of the first but I know that there will be a lot in the future.
“Surfing is really going to help develop Senegal. Just us being here alone makes people think about Senegal. It puts us on the map as a destination to surf.
“Competing among the world’s best surfers has been really impressive for me this week. I am learning a lot and I hope I can apply it to get better waves in my next heat.”
Spain’s Ariane Ochoa going for Olympic qualification
The competition within the competition continued to intensify on day 2 – the Olympic hopefuls are seeking out the final 5 slots for men and 7 slots for women for Tokyo 2020.
Spain’s Ariane Ochoa is one of those Olympic hopefuls, focused on earning her slot in Surfing’s Olympic debut.
“It’s incredible that this year we have nearly as many women as men,” said Ochoa. “We have the will to compete and I think we are demonstrating that we are capable here today.
“It’s an amazing experience to be competing for Olympic qualification, but it’s a really intense journey. It’s great to see our sport becoming more professional, which it was lacking a bit in the past. I just hope that I can form part of this Olympic cycle.”
Day 3 of competition will feature the first elimination Repechage Rounds of the competition. Repechage allows surfers to get a second chance to advance through the event and an opportunity to advance the long way back into the Grand Final. A surfers that loses in Repechage is eliminated from the event.
The 2021 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games runs from May 29 – June 6. Follow the event with live broadcasts, news, videos, photos, schedules, results, and more on isasurf.org.
Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand, is proud to announce our newest ambassador, Chelsea Woody. As co-founder of Textured Waves, Woody has elevated a movement to grow the culture around surfing for women of color and underrepresented demographics through representation, community and camaraderie. Together, Vans and Woody are dedicated to shifting the global perspective and narrative around BIPOC women in surfing, by uplifting their voices and experiences through different avenues, including Woody’s new short film, Night Crawler.
Since 2019, Woody’s work with Textured Waves, alongside fellow co-founders Danielle Black Lyons and Martina Duran, has gained momentum and included some notable partnerships with those in the surfing community to help highlight the lack of diversity in the lineup, as well as what’s showcased across surf art and media. Working as a nurse in Santa Cruz, California, Woody was compelled to shine a light on her own experiences surfing during a pandemic. ThroughNight Crawler, she hopes to illustrate a different side of surfing that happens at dusk, which is notably less crowded and competitive, as well as historically significant in reshaping the perceptions of women and women of color in surfing and beyond.
“I always like to think of how African American women are portrayed; past, present and future. This film is something we haven’t seen before,” Woody said. “I’m reminded of the sundown laws that forbade black folks from being outside past sunset— and even Breonna Taylor getting shot in her room as she slept—and how that relates to black folks, women and women of color feeling safe at night. It’s about women taking back the night and the outdoors when we’ve been told we should stay inside.”
The film, which has been in the works for the past two years, was equally inspired by the beauty of the beach at sunset. The imagery in the film is superimposed with Woody’s written words and was meant to subtly convey the underlying symbolism, while simultaneously providing room for the audience to foster their own ideas on the topic.
“I want this film to empower women and girls: If you haven’t seen yourself in a space, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it. I hope it sparks imagination, a sense of curiosity, and a realization that nightfall and being in the dark in outdoor spaces is where we can find our best ideas and thoughts. I hope it inspires women, especially Black and African American women, to break out of the boxes we’ve been placed in. The universe is yours.”
Chelsea Woody is originally from Seattle but relocated to Santa Cruz six years ago with her husband so they could surf daily. Feeling underrepresented as one of the only Black women in the local lineup, she and Textured Waves’ co-founders sought out a likeminded group of Black female surfers across the country and their community was born, quickly gaining momentum on Instagram for its spotlight on women of color who surf. Since then, Textured Waves has used their platform to elevate women’s voices, while inspiring and creating space for others to take the baton and create their own history.
About the new partnership with Vans, Woody says she is excited and inspired to be working with a brand that reaches a diverse audience in an authentic way. “You can’t change cultures alone; you need communities and allies behind you. It takes generations to shift thinking. It’s not lost on me that I am the first African American and Thai female surf ambassador for Vans, but that alone doesn’t shift it. There are so many female surfers around the globe who are working to elevate their stories and their communities, and I hope we can continue to highlight that.”
25 May, Kirra, a sick day surfing on the Gold Coast Australia as the groundswell hits the Superbank. Filmed for 30 minutes just before dark, how freaking sweet is that wave, mind surf your way into the weekend.
Some of the best waves from last winter with young Mr Barnaby Cox! Swell after swell lit up many of the spots during multiple lockdowns. With surf travel out the window, Barnaby was all over it, every cloud has a silver lining and all that malarky.
