• Current No. 1s Griffin Colapinto and Carissa Moore Maintain Winning Streak
• Jack Robinson, Kelly Slater, and John John Florence Eliminated in Early Rounds
• Defending Event Winner Stephanie Gilmore Through to Quarterfinals
• Local Hero Bryan Perez Exits in 17th Place

• Front page…John John Florence JUNE 10: Two-time WSL Champion John John Florence of Hawaii lost in Heat 7 of the Elimination Round at the Surf City El Salvador Pro on June 10, 2023 at Punta Roca, La Libertad, El Salvador (Photo by Aaron Hughes/World Surf League)

PUNTA ROCA, La Libertad, El Salvador (Saturday, June 10, 2023) –  Beautiful conditions greeted the world’s best surfers to get competition underway at the Surf City El Salvador Pro Presented by Corona, Stop No. 7 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2023 Championship Tour (CT). Clean three-to-six-foot waves opened the competition at the famed right-hander of Punta Roca, also known as La Punta or Punta Chilama. Today saw the event’s first eliminations, with notable stars Jack Robinson (AUS), Kelly Slater (USA), and John John Florence (HAW) falling early in equal 17th place.

Current No. 1s Griffin Colapinto and Carissa Moore Maintain Winning Streak 

Current rankings leader Griffin Colapinto (USA) continued his momentum from the Surf Ranch Pro, winning his Opening Round Heat. As the defending event winner, Colapinto showcased his comfort in the lineup, taking advantage of the clean walls to post an excellent heat total of 16.20 (out of possible 20). Event wildcard Bryan Perez (SLV) gave Colapinto a run for his money, finishing the matchup in second place.

“I was up against Bryan (Perez) in that heat and he surfs this wave so well and surfs so good, so I knew I had to go all out,” said Colapinto. “When people bring up the yellow jersey, I try to be all humble but I realized I just need to own it. Once I flipped that, I felt more comfortable and can joke about it and I like it. I’m just going to stay the course. Every heat has its own story. I’m just rolling with it trying to stay in the moment.”

Carissa Moore (HAW), five-time WSL Champion and current World No. 1, has already matched her best result in El Salvador with a Quarterfinal entry after winning her Opening Round heat. Moore dispatched Lakey Peterson (USA) and event wildcard Leilani McGonagle (CRC) in Heat 2. Moore opened the heat with an excellent 8.00 (out of possible 10) and held the lead for the entirety of the heat.

“In my head, I felt like it was a little lower than the score that came through, so that gave me some confidence that the judges liked what I was doing,” said Moore. “I was trying to find a good wave to back it up, but I was kind of out of rhythm, so I didn’t get that high of a heat total, but I’ll do better next time. It takes a lot of work, and there’s a process. Luckily, I have a great team who is helping me find the positives. It’s easy to go into a negative spiral, but I’m working on progress, not perfection. I’m going to keep working on identifying lineups and the best waves and keep calm, cool, and collected, and surf my best.”

In one of the biggest upsets of the day, rookie Ian Gentil (HAW) overcame current World No. 5 Jack Robinson (AUS). The two were tied going into the final moments but Gentil got the better of Robinson in the final exchange. The heat win is a pivotal moment for Gentil who needs a big win here to boost himself up the rankings.

Heat 5 of the men’s Elimination Round saw two of the most dangerous competitors, three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) and 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), go head-to-head in a high-stakes matchup. The two posted a pair of mid-range scores, keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats. But, it was Medina who found a wave with opportunity and showcased his trademark backhand to earn a 7.50 and the heat win.

“There are no easy heats,” said Medina. “ I always have good battles against Kelly (Slater). I respect him and know he’s capable of getting big scores. I feel like this morning I couldn’t catch a wave, so now I feel better. Hopefully, we have more waves in the next round, I just want to keep going.”

Rookie Rio Waida (INA) achieved one of the biggest victories of his career so far today, eliminating two-time World Champion John John Florence (HAW). Waida built momentum throughout the heat, earning two solid seven-point scores. Florence answered back with a huge layback to earn an 8.43. The score was just short of the requirement and without a back-up score of substance Florence was sent home.

Liam O’Brien (AUS), Barron Mamiya (HAW), Callum Robson (AUS), and Caio Ibelli (BRA) also advanced out of the Elimination Round and will compete next in the Round of 16 when competition resumes.

Defending event winner and eight-time World Champion, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), picked up from where she left off last year, winning her Opening Round matchup in excellent form and advancing to the Quarterfinals. Gilmore first posted an 8.17 (out of a possible 10), then backed it up with an 8.00 by landing a fins-free maneuver and several explosive turns. Johanne Defay (FRA) and Tyler Wright (AUS) were left in a competition for second place and will now have to surf the Elimination Round.

“Every time I come here I have a great experience,” said Gilmore. “This wave is like Lower Trestles right but hollower faster and longer. Any chance we get to surf great waves with no one out is great. This is why I do the Tour. I thought about the fact that this time last year I was in the same position. This time I feel like the pressure is off. But at the same time, I see the young girls surfing good and I want to stay a part of it. I feel like my body is in great shape and my mind is good and hopefully I can repeat it all over again.”

Goofy footers Caroline Marks (USA) and Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) also won their respective Opening Round matchups, demonstrating how dangerous their backhands are.

Ethan Ewing (AUS) and Filipe Toledo (BRA) breezed through their Opening Round matchups, skipping the dreaded Elimination Round and advancing straight through to the Round of 16. The two demonstrated different but effective approaches to the right-hand point break. Ewing utilized his strong rail game while Toledo went for a floater and air combination.

Also making it through to the Round of 16 with clutch performances were Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Italo Ferreira (BRA), and Kanoa Igarashi (JPN). Fioravanti earned the highest single-wave score of the men’s Opening Round, a 9.00. Igarashi advanced by posting the score he needed right before the buzzer sounded.

After a close Opening Round matchup with Colapinto, Bryan Perez (SLV) went on to face Joao Chianca (BRA) in the Elimination Round. The two went wave-for-wave with Chianca ultimately getting the best of Perez. Although he was eliminated, Perez proved he is a threat to the world’s best.

Leilani McGonagle (CRC) made the biggest appearance of her career thus far today, competing in her first CT event here in El Salvador. The young surfer from Costa Rica held her ground but it wasn’t enough against Tour veterans Moore and Peterson. McGonagle will now match up against two-time World Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) in the Elimination Round.

For highlights from today’s action at the Surf City El Salvador Pro Presented by Corona, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Surf City El Salvador Pro Men’s Opening Round 1 Results:
HEAT 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.37 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 11.60, Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 11.17
HEAT 2: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 15.76 DEF. Ian Gentil (HAW) 11.60, Caio Ibelli (BRA) 6.06
HEAT 3: Seth Moniz (HAW) 11.73 DEF. Joao Chianca (BRA) 11.67, Jordy Smith (RSA) 11.20
HEAT 4: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 16.20 DEF. Bryan Perez (SLV) 15.10, Callum Robson (AUS) 12.93
HEAT 5: Connor O’Leary (AUS) 13.40 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 13.00, Rio Waida (INA) 6.00
HEAT 6: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.33 DEF. Liam O’Brien (AUS) 10.66, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 7.17
HEAT 7: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 16.50 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 14.90, John John Florence (HAW) 7.37
HEAT 8: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 15.26 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 14.24, Yago Dora (BRA) 7.24

Surf City El Salvador Pro Women’s Opening Round 1 Results: 
HEAT 1: Caroline Marks (USA) 14.90 DEF. Caitlin Simmers (USA) 13.76, Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 13.40
HEAT 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.40 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 9.60, Leilani McGonagle (CRC) 6.83
HEAT 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.17 DEF. Johanne Defay (FRA) 14.00, Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.23
HEAT 4: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 12.73 DEF. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 11.80, Molly Picklum (AUS) 7.83

Surf City El Salvador Pro Men’s Elimination Round Results:
HEAT 1: Joao Chianca (BRA) 13.27 DEF. Bryan Perez (SLV) 12.30
HEAT 2: Liam O’Brien (AUS) 12.60 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 8.14
HEAT 3: Ian Gentil (HAW) 14.20 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 12.66
HEAT 4: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.90 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 8.84
HEAT 5: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 13.20 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 10.60
HEAT 6: Callum Robson (AUS) 12.83 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) 10.00
HEAT 7: Rio Waida (INA) 14.40 DEF. John John Florence (HAW) 13.16
HEAT 8: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 14.24 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 13.67

Surf City El Salvador Pro Men’s Round of 16 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Joao Chianca (BRA) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW)
HEAT 2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Callum Robson (AUS)
HEAT 3: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Rio Waida (INA)
HEAT 4: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
HEAT 5: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 6: Connor O’Leary (AUS) vs. Caio Ibelli (BRA)
HEAT 7: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Liam O’Brien (AUS)
HEAT 8: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Barron Mamiya (HAW)

Surf City El Salvador Pro Women’s Elimination Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Leilani McGonagle (CRC)
HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW)
HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Johanne Defay (FRA)
HEAT 4: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Gabriela Bryan (HAW)

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.