Big Swell and Dreams come true: Sunzal Puts Us to the Test
Another World Championship has come to an end.
As every year, the ISA World Longboard Championship proved to be a true international celebration of top-level longboarding.
Seeing the surfing nations gather on the waves of Sunzal, El Salvador, fills me with gratitude.
143 athletes from 44 countries — the best four from each nation.
A global community of athletes and longboard-enthusiasts, united across space and time by a shared passion.
This year, Sunzal delivered one of the most powerful swells of the past two years.
Conditions weren’t easy. Only in the early morning hours did we get to enjoy a few perfect, glassy waves.
By midday, the wind would pick up, and with the high tide, the ocean turned choppy, restless, and much harder to predict.
A Final’s day full of surprises
The final days were filled with intense emotions.
Some heats felt like finals even in the earlier rounds — like the unexpected elimination of Ben Skinner and Kai Sallas, or Jon Garmendia’s incredible run that brought Spain closer to the final than ever before.
Notable results also came from the younger athletes: 17-year-old Dutchman Douwe Roubroek (11th place) faced each round with courage, technique, and great maturity, nearly reaching the end and making a mark among the big names. A talent to watch.On the women side Italian Ginger Caimi (16th place) and (PHI) Mara Lopez (7th place) are two more rising stars.
Women d’excellence
A breathtaking final Among the women. Rachael Tilly triumphed with the announcement of her last score just a few minutes after the heat ended. Taking the win over the French Alice Lemoigne, the Peruvian María Fernanda Reyes , and the Hawaiian Sophia Culhane. All of them showcased an incredibly high technical level, with noseriding and fluid, precise flow maneuvers.
Edouard Delpero: the French dream comes true
And then there’s Edouard Delpero. Four finals in recent years without ever making it to the top step—until now.
This year, he dominated: heat after heat, with excellent scores and a flawless final. He picked the right waves, combined critical noseriding with elegant, powerful cutbacks, all with impeccable flow. A well-deserved victory.
The other finalists also shone:
Taka took big risks but wasn’t able to complete his best waves.
Jr Esquivel captivated with a clean style and refined noseriding, but perhaps lacked some variety in his turns and in the connection between maneuvers.
Was it the setup?
Perhaps we’re in a moment where 2+1’s are starting to make a difference again. Maybe performance boards helped riders get the most out of Sunzal.
It seems so, considering that the runner-up, Brazilian Rodrigo Sphaier, dominated with his Lufi Sea Captain — a board that blends tradition and performance.
A Longboard in Evolution
Sunzal is the perfect wave for this shift: long, with different sections, it offers endless room for expression. And the judges rightly rewarded those who could combine traditional Manoveurs, progressive technique and creativity.
After a couple of years dominated by the “only traditional” approach – boards with wide tails built for endless noserides – longboarding now seems to be rediscovering a path of balanced variety.
Perhaps also in response to the disappointing decision not to include longboarding in the upcoming Olympic Games in LA 2028?
Who knows. But one thing is certain: today, this world championship is the most exciting and engaging longboard event in the world. And I’m proud to have been there, to have been part of it all
And my personal result?
It was my third time representing Germany – my homeland – and Sardinia, the place where I learned to long board and where my surfing was shaped. I wanted to give more, much more. But ones in the reps, with only 15 minutes per heat, every mistake can be fatal. In my last round, I lost priority on the first set and didn’t catch a wave until the seventh minute. I chose the wrong strategy.
But that’s how you grow, through mistakes. They are good scars, part of our experience, making us more aware.
That said, head high and full of motivation, I’m already preparing for the next opportunity.
Until the next swell.
Leave a Reply