Rachael Tilly and Taylor Jensen Win Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships, Claim 2024 World Longboard Titles

EL SUNZAL, La Libertad, El Salvador (Saturday, October 12, 2024) - Today, Rachael Tilly (USA) and Taylor Jensen (USA) won the World Surf League (WSL) Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships to claim the 2024 World Longboard Titles. The Southern California duo, Tilly and Jensen, dominated their showings in flawless form to emerge victorious in beautiful, three-to-five-foot conditions at El Sunzal in El Salvador. In their Title Matches, Tilly bested reigning WSL Longboard Champion Soleil Errico (USA) for her second World Longboard Title before Jensen’s commanding win over defending WSL Longboard Champion Kai Sallas (HAW), marking his historic fourth World Longboard Title. 

Rachael Tilly Earns Long-Awaited Second World Longboard Championship

Rachael Tilly (USA), 26, claimed her first World Longboard Title in 2015 to become the youngest WSL Longboard Champion and now boasts her second after her success today. Dana Point, California’s own Tilly returned from her brief competition hiatus in 2022 and continues to show her love for the sport each year as a World Longboard Title threat. 

"I’ve dreamed of having a second one, and it’s been almost ten years,” said Tilly. “I didn’t know if it could happen, and now I can’t believe we’re here. There were maybe years where I didn’t have the focus but this year I just tried to start trusting in my ability and that I could win, and with that came my win at the US Open. It was really hard to maintain the focus and energy of this event, but here we are.”

The women’s first Title Match witnessed Tilly hold her momentum from a brilliant Match 3 bout with three-time WSL Longboard Champion Honolua Blomfield (HAW) into the Title Match against No. 1 seeded competitor Soleil Errico (USA). Tilly’s opening 6.67 bested that of Errico’s 6.27 (out of a possible 10) as the two traded off in multiple exchanges. The Southern Californians, Tilly and Errico, continued to battle, with Tilly earning a backup 6.23 and pushing Errico into needing a solid score. But, Tilly held strong and claimed the first Title Match. 

Tilly continued her incredible showing with another excellent performance in Title Match 2 against Errico, posting an 8.17 to establish a dominant lead heading into the final minutes. Errico, needing a 9.40, posted a 6.57 to lower her requirement, but Tilly answered right back with a 6.87 in another exchange as time dwindled down. Errico’s response earned her an excellent 8.10, but it wasn’t enough after Tilly’s showcase already raised the requirement once more. Time expired and Tilly emerged the 2024 WSL Longboard Champion, her second World Longboard Title.

“Soleil and Honolua have been on a tear,” added Tilly. “It was me, then Tory, then it was Soleil and Honolua since, so I knew getting through them would be hard work, and it was because they’re incredible surfers. Thank you to my family, my dad, and my mom, who’s here, and my brother, who’s flying right now, and I was hoping he’d land to some awesome news. Where I am right now isn’t possible without God, and I felt that out there.”

Taylor Jensen Joins History Books with Fourth World Longboard Title 

Oceanside, California’s own Taylor Jensen (USA) joins an elite list of World Longboard Champions after capturing his fourth. With Jensen earning his first World Longboard Title in 2011, he continues to show he’s capable of setting the bar after a stunning Title Match performance today against Kai Sallas (HAW). At age 40, Jensen shows no sign of slowing down after joining his father-in-law Nat Young (USA) as a four-time World Longboard Champion.

“I’m still in shock, but a lot went into this one, so it feels good,” said Jensen. “It’s a crazy format. I’ve been down the bottom coming up, and to sit at the top and watch everybody surfing amazing all day just thinking I hope they run out of steam or something. I’m just glad I had some legs left, and it seemed like the other guys got tired. I had a lot of wanting-to-surf energy and just went out there, picked a good one, and got lucky right away. I try not to get emotional, but having my family here is everything.”

Men’s Title Match 1 tested the patience of two of the sport’s icons between No. 1 seed Jensen and defending WSL Longboard Champion Kai Sallas (HAW). Jensen broke the tense start with a solid opportunity, showcasing his variety on the nose and signature powerful rail game. The judges rewarded Jensen’s efforts with an excellent 8.00 and put early pressure on Sallas. 

Jensen picked up where he left off in Title Match 1, beginning the second Title Match with a 7.33 to Sallas’ 3.50. But Jensen wasn’t close to done and posted the day’s highest single-wave score of a near-perfect 9.33 to post a decimating heat total over Sallas. When the dust settled and the horn sounded, Jensen earned his fourth World Longboard Title. 

“I embraced evolving and adapting and what I labeled myself as a surfer and changing that," continued Jensen. "The kids keep you relevant. Kaniela and Johnny, all those guys coming up are smoking us so we have to adapt and put in more time than they are so just been doing that and it paid off. I just wanted to separate myself from Joel, Colin and Rusty. And just to put myself in that position is a privilege.”

2023 World Longboard Champions Soleil Errico and Kai Sallas Nearly Complete Repeat Wins

The reigning WSL Longboard Champions, Soleil Errico (USA) and Kai Sallas (HAW), finished their 2024 campaigns in second place. Errico entered this event as the No. 1 seeded competitor and recently overcame a knee injury that forced her to withdraw from competition in Abu Dhabi. A valiant performance from the three-time WSL Longboard Champion earned her an excellent 8.10 in the dying moments of Title Match 2, but it was too late to mount a comeback against Tilly. 

Sallas’ performance throughout 2024 landed him back into the Top 8 to defend his World Longboard Title, entering as the No. 4 seed. After dealing with an in-form Kaniela Stewart (HAW) and fellow Longboard Tour veteran Ben Skinner (GBR) in Match 2, Sallas then went on to face No. 3 seed Rogelio JR Esquievel (PHL). Sallas’ form bested Esquievel to then take on fellow Waikiki standout, World No. 2 John Michael Van Hohenstein (HAW), with the two trading off in brilliant exchanges. In the end, Sallas took control and returned to the Title Match in hopes of defending his Longboard World Title. But Jensen’s impeccable form was unstoppable, and Sallas fell just short, and he ended the season ranked No. 2 in the world. 

For highlights from the 2024 Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com. 

2024 Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships Women's Results:

Women's Title Match 2: Rachael Tilly (USA) 15.04 DEF. Soleil Errico (USA) 14.67

Women's Title Match 1: Rachael Tilly (USA) 12.90 DEF. Soleil Errico (USA) 11.60

Women’s Match 4: Rachael Tilly (USA) 15.00 DEF. Honolua Blomfield (HAW) 13.20

Women's Match 3: Honolua Blomfield (HAW) 12.84 DEF. Alice Lemoigne (FRA) 12.84

Women's Match 2: Honolua Blomfield (HAW) 16.03 DEF. Natsumi Taoka (JPN) 12.50, Zoe Grospiron (FRA) 10.34

Women's Match 1: Honolua Blomfield (HAW) 14.03 DEF. Kelis Kaleopa’a (HAW) 10.80, Sophia Culhane (HAW) 10.67 

2024 Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships Men's Results:

Men's Title Match 2: Taylor Jensen (USA) 16.66 DEF. Kai Sallas (HAW) 10.46

Men's Title Match 1: Taylor Jensen (USA) 16.23 DEF. Kai Sallas (HAW) 11.73

Men’s Match 4: Kai Sallas (HAW) 14.00 DEF. John Michael Van Hohenstein (HAW) 12.60

Men's Match 3: Kai Sallas (HAW) 12.73 DEF. Rogelio JR Esquievel (PHL) 12.43

Men's Match 2: Kai Sallas (HAW) 13.67 DEF. Kaniela Stewart (HAW) 13.10, Ben Skinner (GBR) 12.50

Men's Match 1: Kaniela Stewart (HAW) 13.60 DEF. Steven Sawyer (RSA) 13.00, Chase Lieder (USA) 8.90

The Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships are proudly supported by Surf City El Salvador and Corona.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com