Field Narrows on Day 5 of the 2025 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games

Olympians Sol Aguirre (PER) and Leilani McGonagle (CRC) Top Women’s Heat Totals in Main Round and Repechage

As Fresh Faces Arrive, WSG Veteran Lucia Indurain (ARG) Continues to Prove Her Talent

Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) Sets the Standard, While Bruce Burgos (ECU) and Kian Martin (SWE) Raise the Bar

Surf City El Salvador – September 10, 2025

The action continued at Surf City El Salvador’s prime locations of La Bocana and El Sunzal for day five of the 2025 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games (WSG). Clean, three-to-four-foot swell pulsed into the two podiums for another full day of competition.

Women’s Main Round 3, men’s Main Round 4 and women’s Repechage Round 3 were all completed at La Bocana. At El Sunzal, all 24 heats of men’s Repechage Round 2 were held.

By day’s end, slightly more than one third of the original field of 291 competitors remained in contention, with the draw reduced down to 48 women and 60 men. Nine nations retain their full teams to sit on top of the leaderboard, all with at least one surfer in repechage.

Sol Aguirre (PER) utilized the full range of the peak of La Bocana to collect a 13.77 heat total, the highest of the women’s Main Round for the day. Aguirre opened with a 7.00 for a solid backhand surfing on the left. A second two-turn combo on her forehand included a committed attack on a bucking end section, providing her with a 6.77. The 22-year-old claimed the heat win over fellow Olympian Janire Gonzalez-Etxabarri (ESP).

“I’m just really happy to make it through,” Aguirre said. “The waves are pumping. I had so much fun and it’s so good. We can’t ask for better. I was just trying to get good lefts and good rights and just have fun and try to be one with the ocean. I think that worked.”

The first half of the round was all about the Olympians, with Yolanda Hopkins (POR), Nadia Erostarbe (ESP), and Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) each taking top billing, along with Aguirre. The sole Olympian in the bottom half of the draw, Daniella Rosas (PER), made sure to confirm all three Peruvian women held their ground in the Main Round. Despite sharp rail surfing, Nicaragua’s Olympian, Candelaria Resano (NCA), was sent to repechage in a highly competitive heat that saw Sophia Medina (BRA) slip just ahead of Daniela Boldini (ITA) and behind Fitzgibbons.

Along with Peru, Spain and Australia saw all three women on their teams progress into Main Round 4. In repechage, Olympic Bronze Medalist Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN) became the first Japanese surfer to be eliminated. Meanwhile, Leilani McGonagle (CRC) had the opposite experience, carving through the La Bocana lefts on her forehand to post the highest women’s number of the day. After opening with an 8.33, the Costa Rican Olympian grabbed her rail and spun reverse through a heaving forehand section to post an 8.17. The 25-year-old’s 16.50 heat total ranked as the second-highest of the event for the women.

As Fresh Faces Arrive, WSG Veteran Lucia Indurain (ARG) Continues to Prove Her Talent

WSG veteran Lucia Indurain (ARG) made her presence known in Main Round 3 by opening with the highest single wave score of the round, a 7.50. Driving through strong backhand carves, Indurain set the pace for the heat, but had to wait through the majority of the 20-minute match to find the backup score that gave her the win over Milla Brown (AUS). The pair sent Ella McCaffray (USA) and Laura Raupp (BRA) to repechage.

“It’s always amazing to start with a good score in the first few minutes,” Indurain said. “After that the heat slowed down a bit. I tried to get a quick backup but I fell, so then I was sitting out the back thinking, ‘You have the level, you just need to wait for a good wave.’ I tried to relax and was able to catch the right that I liked and finish the heat strong.

“The ISA events are some of my favorite competitions because you fight for your country, for your flag. Representing Argentina is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you as a citizen. I’ve competed in many ISAs and I’m happy to advance today. Every event is different. Today we moved forward and tomorrow we have more, so it’s about keeping a clear mind and continuing on.”

Indurain’s teammate Franco Radziunas (ARG) also opened with a 7.50 in his Main Round 4 heat. The 22-year-old controlled throughout in a tight battle that also saw Teva Bouchgua (MAR) progressing, with Owen Moss (USA) and Michael Rodrigues (BRA) sent to repechage.

Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) Sets the Standard, While Bruce Burgos (ECU) and Kian Martin (SWE) Raise the Bar

A buzzer-beater from German Olympian Tim Elter (GER) sent Guilherme Ribeiro (POR) into repechage along with Callum Robson (AUS), Australia’s first team member to be relegated. Robson’s teammate Dane Henry (AUS), the reigning ISA U/18 Boys World Junior Champion, took the heat win to join Morgan Cibilic (AUS) in Main Round 5.

Six of the 12 men to move into Main Round 5 represent three nations, with Peru’s Alonso Correa (PER) and Lucca Mesinas (PER), and France’s Kauli Vaast (FRA) and Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) joining the two Australians.

For the second day in a row, Couzinet posted the highest single wave score in the Main Round. Mesinas opened their match-up with the first excellent score of the day, an 8.00, and maintained the lead through much of the heat. Not to be outdone, Couzinet unleashed an aggressive attack on the La Bocana right towards the end of the heat to earn an 8.17 and take the heat win.

Other surfers to progress like Douglas Silva (BRA) and Teva Bouchgua (MAR) are following in the footsteps of prior success from their national representatives. However, Kian Martin (SWE) is setting new records for Sweden. Bruce Burgos (ECU) is also edging closer to Ecuadorian men’s WSG highlights from former competitors Israel Barona (ECU) and Carlos Goncalves (ECU). A rising star within the Latin American surf scene, 20-year-old Burgos was excited to take today’s heat win over Martin.

“I’m super happy to be able to advance through this round,” Burgos said. ‘It’s very important. It’s the first time I’ve made it this far in an ISA event. I’m very focused on my goal and ready for what is coming.”

Competition will resume tomorrow, Thursday, September 11, at 7:00 a.m. CST with women’s Main Round 4 at La Bocana and men’s Repechage Round 3 at El Sunzal.