Masters Surfing Returns to the International Stage as 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Masters Surfing Championship Officially Opens

13 former medalists return, including Tom Curren (USA), the only surfer to win ISA Gold Medals in Junior, Open and Masters divisions
Total of 28 national teams, setting new record

Surf City El Salvador – October 18, 2024

The world’s best surfers over the age of 40 gathered in Surf City El Salvador today to celebrate the opening of the 2024 ISA World Masters Surfing Championship (WMSC). Last held in 2013, the return of the WMSC was welcomed with excitement from the competitors, most of whom haven’t had the opportunity to compete internationally for many years.

Over 90 athletes will compete in El Salvador, representing a record-breaking 28 national teams, five of whom are present to compete in their very first WMSC; Austria, Barbados, Canada, England, and Israel.

A cultural presentation that fused modern beatboxing and breakdancing with historical tradition dating back 1,500 years delighted the crowd before the iconic ISA Sands of the World Ceremony took place. A member from each nation poured sand from their home beaches into one container as a symbol of the peaceful gathering of nations of the world through surfing.

Thirteen former medalists were in attendance, including 1980 ISA World Junior Champion and 1982 ISA World Surfing Games Gold Medalist Tom Curren (USA), who is back to defend his Masters World Title, won in El Salvador in 2011. Fellow Masters World Champions Rochelle Ballard (HAW), Mike Latronic (HAW), Heather Clark (RSA), and Rod Baldwin (AUS) were also present.

ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, said:

“Welcome everybody to the ISA World Masters Surfing Championship, we’re back again. We hope and we plan to have the Masters every year, hopefully for the next few years in the beautiful country of El Salvador. I would like to thank President Bukele, his whole team, Minister Valdez and Alejo Campos, who have done a great job.

“We feel that this is a great part of the ISA World Championships, providing a place, a venue, for all those surfers that just don’t surf anymore in open competition. We’re very happy. We know this is going to be an incredible competition, the beautiful waves of El Sunzal are going to make for a great field of competition.”

El Salvador Tourism Minister, Morena Valdez, said: 

“You don’t know how happy it makes us, the team of President Bukele, to see you coming back to the country and see the changes that we have been through. We have had the juniors but now we have the adults, who have a lot of experience, especially because you can see that surfing has changed lives. Because surfing is more than a sport. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a sport that connects with our communities and this is what we are looking for with the administration of President Bukele.”

Next call tomorrow Saturday, October 19 at 7:00am CST for a potential start of competition with Round 1 of men’s Kahunas (Over 60), followed by Round 1 of women’s Kahunas.