By Laylan Connelly | [email protected] | Orange County Register
Get ready to cheer on a wave of new Southern California surfers competing against the world’s best next year.
Several surfers from San Clemente and San Diego have made the cut for the 2024 World Surf League World Tour, a dream for up-and-coming athletes who have worked their entire lives to make it to the sport’s major leagues.
The crop of young surfers on both the men’s and women’s World Tour is a huge boost for mainland American surfing. The athletes will be battling against Brazilians, Australians, Hawaiians and others from around the globe through next year, trying to make a spot in the top five, meaning they would being in the WSL finals at Lower Trestles and could win the world championship title.
San Clemente boasts the most local surfers on the list, with Crosby Colapinto joining brother Griffin, who has been on the World Tour for five years, as well as Cole Houshmand, Sawyer Lindblad and Kade Matson.
San Diego also has three on the list, Encinitas surfers Jake Marshall and Alyssa Spencer are joining Oceanside’s Caitlin Simmers, a teen who dominated on the elite tour last year.
There’s also Huntington Beach native Kanoa Igarashi, who surfs for Japan, as well as others who have transplanted to local waters, including current world champions Filipe Toledo, from Brazil, and Florida’s Caroline Marks, both who call San Clemente home these days.
Most of the California surfers earned their spots – and celebrated – this week in Brazil with results during the last Challenger Series contest, the Corona Saquarema Pro.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life, it’s been a goal of mine since I was little … I’m just happy to join my brother,” said Crosby Colapinto.
Colapinto said he’s most looking forward to going head-to-head with his big bro in a contest.
“I think it will be cool, we’ve talked about it our whole lives,” he said.
