Career milestone for Rachael Tilly

Rachael Tilly’s gold medal win at the 2025 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship represents a defining moment in her already impressive surfing career. At 27, the Dana Point native has long been recognised as a standout in the longboarding scene, but this marks her first individual gold medal at an ISA World Championship event. The achievement not only adds a prestigious title to her resume but also solidifies her status as one of the sport’s elite competitors on the global stage.

Tilly, who first made headlines as a teenager when she won the WSL Women’s Longboard World Title in 2015, has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the sport. Her latest victory is the culmination of years of dedication, training, and competitive experience. For many in the surfing community, particularly in Australia where longboarding has a strong following, Tilly’s win is seen as a testament to the evolution of women’s longboarding and the increasing level of performance in international competition.

Her gold medal performance in El Salvador is especially significant given the calibre of the field. With top athletes from around the world vying for the title, Tilly’s ability to rise above the competition speaks volumes about her technical skill, wave selection, and composure under pressure. The win also marks a personal breakthrough, as she had previously come close to the top podium spot in past ISA events but had not yet secured the gold until now.

For Australian fans and aspiring surfers, Tilly’s milestone serves as both inspiration and a reminder of the global nature of the sport. Her journey underscores the importance of perseverance and the potential for longboarders to achieve international recognition through consistent performance and passion for the craft.

Highlights from the 2025 ISA World Longboard Championship

The 2025 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship delivered a week of exceptional surfing, with clean, glassy conditions and consistent swell providing the perfect canvas for the world’s best longboarders to showcase their artistry. Held at the iconic right-hand point break of El Sunzal, the event drew competitors from over 30 nations, each bringing their unique style and flair to the waves.

Rachael Tilly’s path to gold was marked by standout performances in every heat. From the early rounds, she demonstrated a commanding presence on the wave, blending traditional longboarding manoeuvres like nose rides and drop-knee turns with modern power and flow. Her semi-final heat was particularly memorable, where she posted one of the highest combined scores of the event, impressing judges with her poise and precision on a series of long, peeling rights.

The final saw Tilly face off against a strong international field, including defending champion Chloe Calmon of Brazil and France’s Alice Lemoigne. In a tightly contested heat, Tilly secured the win with a pair of high-scoring rides that featured extended hang tens and seamless transitions, earning her praise from commentators and fellow surfers alike.

“Rachael’s performance was a masterclass in classic longboarding,” said one ISA judge. “She read the wave perfectly and executed with style and control. It was a well-deserved win.”

Beyond Tilly’s individual success, the championship also highlighted the growing depth of talent in women’s longboarding. Australian surfers made a strong showing, with several advancing to the later rounds and showcasing the country’s rich longboard heritage. The event also featured a vibrant cultural exchange, with teams participating in traditional ceremonies and community outreach, reinforcing the ISA’s commitment to unity through surfing.

For fans watching from Australia, the championship offered a thrilling glimpse into the evolving landscape of competitive longboarding. With live broadcasts and social media coverage bringing the action to screens across the globe, the event helped elevate the profile of longboarding and inspired a new generation of surfers to pursue excellence on the nose.

Tilly’s journey to gold

Rachael Tilly’s journey to the top of the podium at the 2025 ISA World Longboard Championship has been anything but overnight. Her path to gold is a story of persistence, evolution, and a deep-rooted love for longboarding that began in her early childhood. Growing up in Dana Point, California, Tilly was introduced to surfing by her father, himself a passionate longboarder. By the age of six, she was already riding waves, and by her early teens, she was competing at a national level.

Her breakout moment came in 2015 when, at just 17 years old, she became the youngest-ever winner of the WSL Women’s Longboard World Title. That victory catapulted her into the international spotlight and set the stage for a career defined by both competitive success and a commitment to the traditional roots of longboarding. Over the years, Tilly has balanced her competitive ambitions with a strong presence in the surf community, often participating in exhibitions, coaching clinics, and cultural surf events around the world.

Despite her early success, the road to ISA gold was not without its challenges. Tilly faced stiff competition in every ISA event she entered, often finishing just shy of the top spot. These near-misses only fuelled her determination. She spent the years leading up to the 2025 championship refining her technique, focusing on wave reading, and enhancing her physical conditioning. Her training included time in Australia, where she connected with local longboarding legends and immersed herself in the country’s rich surf culture.

Australia, with its iconic point breaks and strong longboarding community, played a pivotal role in shaping Tilly’s approach. She often credits her time surfing breaks like Noosa and Crescent Head for helping her develop the flow and finesse that define her style today. The influence of Australian surf culture is evident in her graceful footwork and emphasis on traditional manoeuvres, which have become hallmarks of her competitive repertoire.

Heading into the 2025 ISA World Longboard Championship, Tilly was focused and mentally prepared. She approached each heat with a calm confidence, drawing on years of experience and a deep understanding of the ocean. Her ability to adapt to changing conditions and maintain composure under pressure was a key factor in her success. Each wave she rode in El Salvador was a reflection of her journey — a blend of youthful passion, seasoned skill, and a profound respect for the art of longboarding.

For Australian fans, Tilly’s story resonates on multiple levels. Her connection to the local surf scene, her embrace of traditional longboarding values, and her relentless pursuit of excellence mirror the ethos of many Australian surfers. Her gold medal is not just a personal triumph, but a celebration of the global longboarding community and the shared spirit that unites surfers across oceans.

Career milestone for Rachael Tilly

At just 27, Rachael Tilly has finally snagged the one title that had eluded her — an individual gold medal at the ISA World Longboard Championship. On May 1, the Dana Point local carved her name into the record books at the 2025 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship, claiming top honours in a field stacked with global talent.

Tilly, who first made waves as the youngest-ever world longboard champ back in 2015, has spent nearly a decade chasing this individual ISA gold. She’s been a consistent force on the longboard scene, but this win marks a new peak in her already impressive career. And let’s be honest — it’s about time the trophy cabinet got a new centrepiece.

With a style that blends classic grace and modern flair, Tilly’s performance in El Salvador was nothing short of textbook. She read the waves like a seasoned fisho reads the tides — smooth, calculated, and with a bit of flair that had the judges nodding in approval.

“It’s been a long journey to this moment, and I’m just stoked to finally bring home the gold,” Tilly said after her win, still dripping from the final heat and grinning like she’d just landed a 20-pound barra.

Her victory not only cements her status as one of the sport’s elite but also gives Aussie surf fans a reason to keep an eye on the longboard circuit — because when someone surfs with that much style and grit, it’s worth watching, even if you’re more used to chasing swell with a fishing rod in hand.

Highlights from the 2025 ISA World Longboard Championship

The 2025 ISA World Longboard Championship in Surf City, El Salvador, served up a week of clean lines, glassy rights, and enough nose rides to make any old-school logger grin. With the Pacific dishing out shoulder-high peelers, the stage was set for a showdown of style, and Rachael Tilly didn’t disappoint — she surfed like she had the ocean on speed dial.

In the final heat, Tilly faced off against a stacked lineup, including perennial powerhouse Chloe Calmon of Brazil and France’s Alice Lemoigne. But it was Tilly’s poise under pressure and razor-sharp footwork that stole the show. She locked in two high-scoring rides early, combining hang tens with seamless cutbacks that had the judges throwing up nines like they were handing out meat pies at a footy match.

• Top scoring wave: 9.17 — a buttery right-hander with a long nose ride, cross-step combo, and a cheeky little drop knee cutback to finish.
• Final heat total: 17.34 — the highest of the entire women’s division.
• Conditions: 3-4 foot, offshore winds, and a lineup as clean as a freshly waxed Mal.

Beyond the podium, the event was a celebration of longboarding’s roots — think single fins, soul arches, and enough style to make a pelican blush. The Aussies put in a solid showing too, with young gun Tully White making it to the semis and showing the world that the Aussie longboard scene is alive and kicking, even if we do prefer our boards with a bit more foam and a bit less leash.

But it was Tilly’s day in the sun. Her ability to blend traditional technique with progressive flair had the crowd on their feet and the judges scribbling furiously. She surfed with the kind of confidence that only comes from years of chasing perfect lines — and maybe a few early mornings dodging seaweed and stingrays.

“The waves were dreamy, the vibe was unreal, and I just felt in sync with the ocean,” Tilly said. “It’s the kind of day you dream about when you’re grommet learning to cross-step in ankle slop.”

With this win, Tilly not only adds a shiny bit of gold to her resume but also reminds the world that longboarding isn’t just about looking pretty — it’s about reading the ocean, dancing with the wave, and occasionally throwing in a cheeky cheater five just for the fun of it.