Rachael Tilly and Kai Ellice-Flint Win World Longboard Titles at 2025 Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships
by: WSL
Published: November 6, 2025
Kai Ellice-Flint (AUS) and Rachael Tilly (USA) are crowned the 2025 World Longboard Champions today at the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships. Credit: Photo:Emma Sharon
EL SUNZAL, La Libertad, El Salvador...Today, Rachael Tilly (USA) and Kai Ellice-Flint (AUS) won the Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships and were crowned the 2025 World Longboard Champions. A momentous day witnessed Tilly's unrivaled form claim a historic, third World Longboard Title in back-to-back fashion after winning six straight heats, while 2025 breakout contender-turned-Longboard Champ, Ellice-Flint, earned his maiden Longboard Title in dominant form.
The single-day competition format featured three-person heats in men’s and women’s Match 1 and Match 2, with the higher seeds awaiting their matches in a head-to-head bracket format. Edouard Delpero (FRA) and Avalon Gall (USA), the No. 1 seeds heading into this event, met Tilly and Ellice-Flint, respectively, in the Title Matches. Both Tilly and Ellice-Flint defeated Gall and Delpero in a best-of-three battle.
Rachael Tilly’s Incredible Run to Back-to-Back World Longboard Championships
Today, Rachael Tilly (USA) earned her third World Longboard Title, going back-to-back to defend her 2024 World Longboard Championship in El Sunzal. The 27-year-old earned her first World Longboard Title in 2015 at just 17 years old.
Tilly was seeded No. 7 out of eight places in this event. In an impressively dominant run, she battled through six-straight heats, working her way up from Match 1 through to the Title Matches 1 and 2 to secure the 2025 World Longboard Championship.
“It feels unreal. I feel really tired and in that heat, I just thought, please just get it done in this heat, because now all of the work today is really catching up,” said Tilly. “Obviously, it was well worth it. I have no words. Honolua [Blomfield] and Soleil [Errico] have had three World Titles forever, and I’ve always been so inspired by them, and they set that bar. I’ve just been reaching for that bar. I’ve worked hard for this, and I love Sunzal, I love El Salvador. I walked into today with no expectations, and no part of me thought that this was possible."
“Walking into that last heat thinking that three times is possible and just glory to God on all of this. I’ve been talking to him all day, starting from that buzzer-beater in that first heat, and I was just praying so much. He just continued to provide opportunity after opportunity.”
Tilly’s incredible run to victory began in Match 1, where she pushed the scale to an 8.33 (out of a possible 10), needing a 7.78, after perennial World Longboard Title threat Kelis Kaleopa’a (USA) laid down a brilliant showing to post a 15.27 (out of a possible 20) heat total. Tilly’s impeccable footwork and smooth style continued into Match 2 against Longboard Tour veteran Chloe Calmon (BRA) and 2025 breakout talent Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN). The defending World Longboard Champion, Tilly, posted another excellent 8.17 to take a commanding lead heading into Match 3.
A clash of the sport’s best unfolded with Tilly facing three-time Longboard Champion Honolua Blomfield (HAW). A narrow lead from Blomfield left Tilly within striking distance and posted a 7.50 to keep her surge thriving. A marquee exchange witnessed more of Tilly’s world-class form to post a 7.60 and take control heading into the final minutes, and kept feeding off the momentum into Match 4 for a rematch of the 2024 World Longboard Title showdown. Tilly’s dream run matched up against another three-time WSL Longboard champion, Soleil Errico (USA). The clash didn’t disappoint with Tilly’s form continuing and taking the lead off Errico with a 7.83. But, Errico’s 7.17 put her back in the mix to put up a fight before Tilly’s buzzer-beater magic catapulted her back to the Title Match over Errico.
In the first Title Match wave, opening with a 7.00 (out of a possible 10) against No. 1 Avalon Gall (USA), Tilly showed she was ready for the task at hand. Then, more excellence from Tilly tipped the scale with an 8.00 and left Gall in a combination situation, meaning she needed two waves to catch up to Tilly. Gall answered back with a 7.77 to get herself back in the mix, but it was too late to surmount Tilly’s heat total after she earned a 7.20 to increase the requirement for Gall.
In Title Match 2, a priority mistake set Gall back to start, but Tilly didn’t capitalize until getting another opportunity to showcase more of her world-class form with a 7.50 to Gall’s 4.67. A slower heat unfolded with the rising tide, and tense moments rose heading into the final 10 minutes without another wave of scoring potential entering the lineup. When the opportunity presented itself, Gall struck back with her backhand rail game and footwork to post a 7.17 to overtake the lead. But, with Tilly’s response only needing a low score, she answered with a 6.00 and regained the lead once more heading into the final moments to claim the 2025 World Longboard Title.
Kai Ellice-Flint Wins Maiden World Longboard Title in Dominant Form
Known as one of the WSL Longboard Tour’s most dedicated to his craft, Kai Ellice-Flint’s (AUS) run to a maiden Longboard Title was one for the history books. The Australian had to overcome No. 1 seed Edouard Delpero (FRA) in a possible best two-of-three Title Matches. After putting on a dominant display of control, style, and flow in Title Match 1 to post a 9.50 and 17.67 (out of a possible 20) heat total, Ellice-Flint then did it again in Title Match 2 to leave Delpero needing a 10-point ride to overtake him.
“I wish I had words for it. I have so much love for what CJ [Nelson] has done for me, what my family has done for me, with all the support and how they’ve been there for me through my sacrifices in this life for me,” said Ellice-Flint. “It’s been a hell of a journey. I lack a little bit of self-confidence and critique everything all the time, always trying to better something - a better board design or something. It’s ingrained in me. I want to do better, be better, and be the best. Build the best boards that I possibly can and put them under my feet.”
This marks Australia’s eighth World Longboard Title courtesy of Ellice-Flint, including Harley Ingleby (AUS), Harrison Roach (AUS), four-time Longboard Champion Nat Young (AUS), and more. On his own shapes, Ellice-Flint showed his world-class surfing from start to finish, beginning with a decisive win over reigning four-time Longboard Champion Taylor Jensen (USA).
Ellice-Flint's World Longboard Title run began in Match 4 against 2024 World Longboard Champion, Taylor Jensen (USA). Ellice-Flint made his stand with a 7.10. Then, Ellice-Flint put the pressure on with an excellent 8.17 under priority and left Jensen requiring an 8.60.
Notable Highlights From An Epic 2025 WSL Longboard Tour Conclusion
An impressive showing from Australia’s Declan Wyton (AUS) took him through Match 1, 2, and 3, overcoming the likes of former World Longboard Champion Steven Sawyer (RSA), 2025 standout Max Weston (AUS), and eventually coming up against four-time Longboard Champion Taylor Jensen (USA) where he fell just short of taking on Kai Ellice-Flint (AUS).
After Tilly’s tear through the World Longboard Title showdown all the way to her third Longboard Title, the women’s rankings will remain similar upon entering the event. Despite big efforts from Kelis Kaleopa’a (HAW), who posted a 7.83 in Match 1, and near-comeback performances from Honolua Blomfield (HAW) and Avalon Gall (USA), it was all Tilly when the dust settled.