10 Things to Know About the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship

The 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship (WLC) is coming to Surf City El Salvador, with the world’s best longboard surfers competing at El Sunzal from April 19 – 25.

Surf City El Salvador – April 15, 2024

Here are 10 things you should know about the competition:

1. Record Participation

129 athletes from 39 nations will gather to compete for the Team Gold medals, surpassing the previous record, set last year in 2023. Current back-to-back Team World Champions, Team France, will return to defend their title.

2. Gender Equality

The 2024 WLC will be the closest ISA event yet to achieve equal men’s and women’s numbers. A record 48% of competitors (61 women) will compete and represent their nations.

In an effort to promote gender equality in surfing and promote women’s participation, the ISA adjusted its competition format in 2017 to offer equal competition slots for men and women across its World Championship Series. Since the 2018 edition, the WLC has broken the record for female participation each year, attesting to the growth of women’s surfing on all continents of the globe, and especially in longboard.

3. Can Alice Lemoigne Make it Three in a Row?

The two-time defending gold medalist Alice Lemoigne (FRA) returns to chase her unprecedented third gold medal. However, Team Hawaii will also be returning in full force, with three-time WSL Champion Honolua Blomfield (HAW) and 2023 WSL runner-up Kelis Kaleopa’a (HAW) no doubt bringing strong competition. The 2013 silver medalist and 2015 WSL Champion Rachael Tilly (USA) will also be reappearing for Team USA, while 2023 silver medalist Maria Fernanda Reyes (PER) will be looking to back up her Santiago 2023 Pan American Games Gold Medal.

4. Returning Men’s Gold Medalists

Three returning men’s champions will be looking to increase their medal counts. 2019 World Champion Benoit ‘Piccolo’ Clemente (PER), 2018 World Champion Kai Sallas (HAW), and 2010 World Champion Rodrigo Sphaier (BRA) will come up against the likes of two-time silver medalist Ben Skinner (ENG), Declan Wyton (AUS), Edouard Delpero (USA), Kaniela Stewart (HAW), Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Pignataro (URU) and Rogelio Esquievel Jr (PHI), who are each hungry to claim their first world title.

5. Longboarding and the Olympic Games

The ISA has long recognized the potential value of longboarding in the Olympic Games. Now that (shortboard) surfing has been confirmed as a core sport in Olympic Program for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the ISA has formally submitted longboard to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the LA28 organizers for inclusion. A decision on longboard is not expected until the first quarter of 2025, which underlines the importance for the ISA and the longboard community of continuing to grow and develop the sport globally.

6. The History

Longboard was first held as an ISA medal division at the 1988 ISA World Surfing Championships (now the ISA World Surfing Games) in Puerto Rico. The discipline continued as part of the ISA World Surfing Games until 2013, when it was held as a stand-alone event for the first-time in Huanchaco, Peru. 2024 will mark the fifth time the global event will run, set to crown ISA Longboard World Champions in El Salvador for the second year running.

7. The ISA and El Salvador

Surf City El Salvador has become a massive supporter of the ISA and surfing, demonstrating itself as a true world class surfing destination. This will be the sixth major ISA event carrying the title Surf City El Salvador in as many years.

The 2019 World SUP and Paddleboard World Championship, the 2022 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, and the 2023 ISA WLC have been joined by two qualifying events for the Olympic Games, the 2021 ISA World Surfing Games, which was the final Surfing qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games, which was the second qualifying event for Surfing in Paris 2024.

The 2024 ISA World Junior Surfing Championships will follow the WLC in Surf City El Salvador May 3 – 12.

8. Where to Watch

The live webcast will be streamed on www.isasurf.org from April 19 – 25.
Visit our website for results, team rosters, photos, videos, and news pertaining to the competition.

The event can also be viewed live on the ISA’s Facebook page: International Surfing Association.

9. Schedule

April 18 – Press Conference – Club Salvadoreño – 10am
April 19 – Opening Ceremony – Behind Casa de Mar – 4pm
April 20-24 – Competition days
April 25 – Finals and Closing Ceremony

10. Social @isasurfing

The ISA will be posting live updates, photos and videos from the competition on social media. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok and YouTube. Don’t forget to use the official hashtags #ISAworlds and #SurfCity.

Instagram / Facebook / X / Youtube / Tiktok: @ISAsurfing