In one of those simple twists of fate that only the magic of Malibu seems to be able to conjure, 45-year-old Joel Tudor and 22-year-old Honolua Blomfield have become the oldest and youngest three-time World Champions in history.
Front Page: Blomfield is now the youngest three-time World Champion in league history. – WSL / GRANT ELLIS
Throughout a marathon day of surfing at the Jeep® Malibu Classic presented by Havaianas, Tudor slowly built momentum towards this Title moment. After winning the Noosa Longboard Open back in February 2020 — and putting surf fans on notice that he was in the hunt for his third Title — eighteen months later he’s made good on his word. At 45, he not only won the 2021 Title, but also took out the Malibu event and continues to set the standard when it comes to classic longboarding. He’s the oldest World Champion ever, not to mention oldest three-time World Champ.
“The most proud thing of all of this is that I finally beat Kelly at something. So remember that,” Tudor joked of another multi-World Champion while celebrating his win.
Joel Tudor perched on the nost at First Point enroute to winning the 2021 World Longboard Title — 23 years after winning his first Title. – WSL / THOMAS LODIN
Tudor Becomes Oldest World Champion
When Tudor paddled out for his Semifinal against Tony Silvagni, he would have known he would become the World Champion if he won; Harrison Roach, the other contender, had just bowed out.
But if he was feeling any pressure, he didn’t let it show. He took his time, and when he did eventually catch a wave it was a text book performance with critical noserides, switch-stance cutbacks and the style and poise he’s famous for.
At 45 years old, Tudor was proving he was still setting the benchmark when it comes to longboarding. His last World Title came all the way back in 2004, and his first in 1998.
There were some nervous moments as Silvagni was still in with a real shot at taking the heat win right down to the final moments after a slow period in the ocean, but once the buzzer sounded, Tudor was the World Champion, and that’s when the ultra-cool veneer began to melt under the Malibu sun. The excitement was obvious, as Tudor’s family and a legion of athletes his surfing has inspired rushed down the beach to congratulate him.
“This was for Donald Takayama,” Tudor said after claiming his third title. “I said it to Kai right before I paddled out. He kind of mentored my whole existence, I wouldn’t be here where I am today if it wasn’t for him.”
“When you’re a dad, you don’t really talk about your accomplishments with your kids, especially when it’s prior to their existence. It’s nice that they got to see their dad do something cool.”
After her runner-up finish at Malibu, Hawaii’s Honolua Blomfield is the youngest three-time World Champion in league history. – WSL / MIKE ITO
Blomfield Becomes Youngest Three-Time World Champion During The Quarterfinals
At the conclusion of her Quarterfinal against Lindsay Steinriede, Honolua Blomfield became the youngest three-time World Champion in league history.
Blomfield, at just 22 years old, shot up the rankings after a win at the Cuervo Surf Ranch Classic last month.
With a fifth-place from Noosa back in 2019, which counted towards the 2021 season, by the Quarterfinals she had done enough to claim the title. As defending 2019 World Champion, this was also back-to-back titles for Blomfield.
“I didn’t really do that good in Noosa but I got fifth, which is good considering and then I won the Surf Ranch. That’s when I realized I have a real shot at winning this Title,” Blomfield said.
The Hawaiian’s first title came in 2017 when she was just 18. Her second came in 2019, and because their was no World Title in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she is now the back-to-back World Champion. Both her previous Titles were won at events in Taiwan.
