World No. 1 John John Florence is back in yellow. He had the day’s second-highest single-wave score (8.5) in a loaded matchup against Liam O’Brien and local wildcard Bryan Perez.
Photo: Aaron Hughes
Today has been a long time coming. In 2022, the World Surf League brought the Championship Tour to El Salvador’s Punta Roca for the first time. While the last two years have provided some punctual moments and the occasional overhead wall, many would suggest the forecast hasn’t lived up to its potential, leaving the famed right point looking more average than not.
That changed on Thursday with a good-sized 16-second serious south-southwest swell hitting the cobblestones throughout the first day of competition at the Surf City El Salvador Pro. Sure, there were lulls, but there was plenty of opportunity on the Punta Roca rights when they arrived.
Enjoy these photos (all done by lensman Aaron Hughes) capturing a few highlights as the world’s best tear apart 89-degree water.
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