Two Southern California surfers have claimed the 2024 World Surf League’s World Longboard Championship – a second win for Dana Point native Rachael Tilly and a fourth for San Diego’s Taylor Jensen.
The duo clinched their titles at the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships in 3- to 5-foot waves at the surf break El Sunzal.
Tilly earned her win by beating reigning WSL Longboard Champion Soleil Errico, while Jensen beat out Hawaii’s defending WSL Longboard Champion Kai Sallas.
For Tilly, 26, it has been nearly a decade since her first title in 2015, when she was the youngest WSL longboard champion.
She took a year off in 2022, but came back ready to compete.
“I’ve dreamed of having a second one, and it’s been almost 10 years,” said Tilly in an interview with the WSL. “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.”
Jensen also won the US Open longboard title in Huntington Beach in August.
And he brought another world title to Oceanside, following Caitlin Simmer’s WSL women’s world championship clenched at Lower Trestles in September.
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Jensen, 40, matched his father-in-law Nat Young as a four-time world longboard champion.
“I’m still in shock, but a lot went into this one, so it feels good,” Jensen said in an interview with the WSL. “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.”
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