Rachael Tilly and Kai Ellice-Flint Win 2025 World Longboard Titles
EL SUNZAL, La Libertad, El Salvador (Thursday, November 6, 2025) - Today, Rachael Tilly and Kai Ellice-Flint 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 and Avalon Gall, 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 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.
Rachael Tilly (WSL/Thiago Diz)
“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.”
In the first Title Match wave, opening with a 7.00 (out of a possible 10) against No. 1 Avalon Gall, 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 run to a maiden Longboard Title was one for the history books. The Australian had to overcome No. 1 seed Edouard Delpero 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.”
Kai Ellice-Flint (WSL/Thiago Diz)
This marks Australia’s eighth World Longboard Title courtesy of Ellice-Flint, including Harley Ingleby, Harrison Roach, four-time Longboard Champion Nat Young, 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.
Ellice-Flint's World Longboard Title run began in Match 4 against 2024 World Longboard Champion, Taylor Jensen. 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.
2025 Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships Women's Results:
Title Match 2: Rachael Tilly (USA) 13.50 DEF. Avalon Gall (USA) 12.54
Title Match 1: Rachael Tilly (USA) 15.20 DEF. Avalon Gall (USA) 12.44
Match 4: Rachael Tilly (USA) 13.40 DEF. Soleil Errico (USA) 12.97
Match 3: Rachael Tilly (USA) 15.10 DEF. Honolua Blomfield (HAW) 12.00
Match 2: Rachael Tilly (USA) 14.67 DEF. Hiroka Yoshikawa (JPN) 14.36, Chloe Calmon (BRA) 13.23
Match 1: Rachael Tilly (USA) 15.83 DEF. Kelis Kaleopaa (HAW) 15.27, Tully White (AUS) 10.37
2025 Surf City El Salvador Longboard Championships Men's Results:
Title Match 2: Kai Ellice-Flint (AUS) 16.00 DEF. Edouard Delpero (FRA) 10.33
Title Match 1: Kai Ellice-Flint (AUS) 17.67 DEF. Edouard Delpero (FRA) 12.84
Match 4: Kai Ellice-Flint (AUS) 15.27 DEF. Taylor Jensen (USA) 9.17
Match 3: Taylor Jensen (USA) 16.17 DEF. Declan Wyton (AUS) 14.50
Match 2: Declan Wyton (AUS) 13.36 DEF. Max Weston (AUS) 10.90, Kevin Skvarna (USA) 6.67
Match 1: Declan Wyton (AUS) 12.73 DEF. Steven Sawyer (RSA) 11.83, Rogelio JR Esquievel (PHL) 10.43
Comments
Looking at those 2 photos, there's a better place I would rather be on those waves - nose riding has its place but the juice on those waves is down at the base of the wave and back in the foam a bit. Both surfers are a long way away from the best part of the wave just to do a bit of show-boating on the nose.
the only place for hanging toes is when it can be done nonchalantly for a spell.. with relaxed arms.. maybe a little soul arch. (in my nobody-opinion).
..akin to the drowsy pleasure synergy when rubbing a dog's belly..
(i.e. stepping purposefully up to a sleepy dog, quickly poking its belly then running away backwards would look ridiculous and pointless. as you say, you may as well have done something more useful).
A still photo dosent tell the whole story.
Kai won because he surfs the whole wave not just the too third.
His full roundhouse off the foam rebounds cutties where the board points 11 am off the whitewash have to be seen to be believed and on a 9'8 and yes he rips on all craft.
Mindset adjustment required... it's called trimming! Yeah I'm not really a fan of the nose riding, it might feel unreal though.. I've no idea! I suspect the arms business is as much about assisting with instant balance adjustments as anything. But having jumped onto longboards the last few years the simple art of trimming along the wall is a beautiful feeling when you're in sync with the wave.
I happened to see these cats competing at Bells the other month, and tbh they all rip, on all parts of the wave ( if they want!). The photos and videos don't do the speed and carving any justice at all when you see it live and up close. But its not ripping in a short board sense anyway, just reaaaaalllyy good reading of the wave, style and flow. Straight line trimming is even wonderful to watch at this level, when you understand waves! These peeps have it dialled in and clearly love it.
PS Kai was the standout during free-surfs at Bells IMO.
PPS the women were beautiful to see, so happy and healthy and stoked to be surfing!
Good stuff!
I think almost anyone could be longboard world champ if they put enough time into it.
They are not really doing anything special and certainly nothing new .