Brazil Takes Definitive Lead on Day 4 of the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Masters Surfing Championship

2011 Grand Masters runner-up Jojó de Olivença (BRA) guarantees fourth Masters medal

Solid back-to-back heat wins see Brazil’s Jacqueline Silva and Andrea Lopes march into the Finals

Tyrell Johnson (RSA) continues strong South African Masters legacy

Surf City El Salvador – October 23, 2024

The first finalists in all divisions were confirmed after yet another day of clean, solid four-to-six foot swell wrapping into El Sunzal for the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Masters Surfing Championship (WMSC). The world’s best surfers over 40 again delivered incredible performances, the stoke on each and every face proving the value in the event returning to the ISA calendar.

Brazil moved into a strong lead in the team rankings. The only team still fully intact, they also have the advantage with medals, along with defending champions Hawaii, who sit in third. Both teams already have three surfers placed in the Grand Finals, leading to a big showdown for Finals Day. Australia now sits in second after the team lost its first two members. France and the USA sit in fourth and fifth, respectively.

The smooth, clinical style of Ben Bourgeois (USA) was back on full display today. Despite unexpectedly landing in the repechage on day three, Bourgeois put any questions of form to rest, surfing just two waves in his Masters (over 40) Repechage Round 4 heat, a 9.50 and a 10. The near perfect 19.50 heat total of the North Carolinian notched as far and away the highest of the event. He then backed that performance up with another huge 18.00 heat total in Repechage Round 5.

Bourgeois’ teammate Tom Curren (USA) was the first World Masters Champion to be eliminated from the event after 2013 World Masters Champion Mike Latronic (HAW) found a last minute score to advance behind Scott Schindler (AUS), who had run away with the heat in Grand Masters (over 50) Repechage Round 4. Latronic himself fell out in the following heat after Lyndon Fairbairn (NZL) got the nod to progress with Schindler into the Repechage Final.

2013 Kahunas Copper Medalist Eric Graciet (FRA) found his first heat win of the event to move into the Kahunas (over 60) Final alongside Shuji Kasuya (HAW). The pair knocked 2010 World Masters Champion Rodney Baldwin (AUS) into repechage in the process, along with Ecuador’s Luis Salvador (ECU).

The only surfer to compete in more than one division, 2010 Masters Bronze Medalist Patricia Rossi (TAH) progressed through two heats in-a-row after she appeared in consecutive repechage heats in Masters and Grand Masters. The 51-year-old, who placed in the 1992 ISA World Surfing Games Final, also owns three ISA World Kneeboard Championship medals.

2011 Grand Masters runner-up Jojó de Olivença (BRA) guarantees fourth Masters medal

Jojó de Olivença (BRA) has been a familiar name in surfing since first qualifying for the WSL Championship Tour (CT) in 1994. The 57-year-old has won three WMSC medals, including the Grand Masters Silver Medal in El Salvador in 2011, and today guaranteed himself a fourth. The Brazilian’s strong, driving forehand earned him an 8.50 for a solid start to his Main Round 4 heat, which he controlled throughout.

“This morning I was a little bit nervous and I kept praying to God to be calm outside,” de Olivença said. “The waves outside are spectacular, very clean waves. Ten minutes without no waves in the heat, but I’m very lucky to get the first one, a good score, and just control the rest of the heat. But the guy is a really good surfer too. It was a good challenge for me.”

De Olivença maintained a solid lead, but the battle for the second advancing position played out to the very end, with every surfer waiting on a score after the buzzer sounded. Despite holding the highest single wave score of the heat, an 8.63, Gary Van Wieringen (RSA) was only able to scrape together a last-second 2.73 backup. Meanwhile, Daniel Garcia (ESP) managed to earn a 4.53 on his final wave, to join a 7.17 and confirm a medal for the only Spanish surfer in the draw.

Solid back-to-back heat wins see Brazil’s Jacqueline Silva and Andrea Lopes march into the Finals

Brazilians took full charge of the day’s women’s Main Round heats, with Jacqueline Silva (BRA) and Andrea Lopes (BRA) solidifying two more medals for their nation by winning back-to-back in the Masters and Grand Masters, respectively. Both surfers are former CT stalwarts, Lopes the first Brazilian woman to qualify for the Tour in 1991. While it is Silva’s first Masters event, Lopes has previously surfed in three, winning medals in each, including the Silver Medal in 2010.

“I’m just happy with all the energy,” Lopes said. “It’s amazing because the Brazilian team is all together and we are really tough. Everyone in Brazil is looking at my heat. In (previous) ISA Masters I had second and third place, so I want to win.”

It was a tough decision for Silva to return to competition seven years after last donning a jersey, but the 45-year-old is thankful that she did.

“I’m pretty happy to win again,” Silva said. “But I never expected this. To be here, to make three heats, get first. It feels great. It makes me remember all the years I did the Tour. I’m pretty happy to be here with the Brazilian team, with friends, to see Serena, Rochelle, all of those girls. And make some points for Brazil. I’m so proud, because it’s really hard to be back competing after years. No surfing, no competition. So to be here again and surfing, you know, try to do my best ever heat. And just to make the Final, I have a medal. Wow, I’m pretty happy, pretty stoked.”

A close fight for the second advancing position in Lopes’ heat saw 2012 Masters World Champion Rochelle Ballard (HAW) narrowly edge out Heather Clark (RSA), while Serena Brooke (AUS) locked in a first WMSC medal when she progressed alongside Silva.

Tyrell Johnson (RSA) continues strong South African Masters legacy

Riding a board adorned with messages of support from his wife and children, including the note ‘Forever Young’, Tyrell Johnson (RSA) has consistently delivered some of the most impressive surfing of the event. Today, the 43-year-old South African once again cruised to victory with an excellent 8.00 on his very first wave, backing it up with a 7.60 for a 15.60 heat total to guarantee a medal for himself and his team.

“I’m so stoked,” Johnson said. “The waves are pumping, so clean, and it suits my surfing down to a tee. It’s a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to attend this event, have this opportunity to represent my country. And now it’s happening, it’s real. I’m on it. I’m so stoked.”

Johnson is continuing the legacy of the reigning Masters World Champion, Greg Emslie (RSA), with whom he shares the home town of East London. Johnson trained with Emslie ahead of the event and is hoping to take his nation to a team medal one better than the Silver Medal Emslie’s team accrued. South Africa have placed on the podium in every event they’ve entered, including back-to-back Team Gold Medals in the first two events in 2007 and 2008.

The next call will be tomorrow at 7:15am CST for a potential 7:30am start with men’s Masters Main Round 4.