El Salvador, 5 years ago, had a shitload of crime. Today, El Salvador has a shitload of crime, a millennial president fighting a shitload of crime occasionally in a baseball cap, the Nakamoto coin as a legal tender and a shiny new CT venue.

Apparently, it’s the Latin American version of another wave featuring on the Cream Tour – Jeffrey’s Bay. But then again, Julian Wilson once was touted as the Aussie version of Kelly Slater. Carmen Electra the younger version of Pamela Anderson. Chris Rock the funnier version of Dave Chappelle. Canggu a more hip version of Byron Bay. You catch my drift…

The point is; not so fast! While the two cobblestone righthand pointbreaks share similarities, JBay has been a household name in competitive surfing compared to Punta Roca’s first-ever appearance on the Dream Tour. 

Punta Roca – also known as Pountaaaa Rouuucaaa or Puuuunta Roooooca or Puntaaaa Rokkkaa or Puuunta Rocco by the whole WSL commentary team not named Mitchell Salazar – is basically a 170 million Dollar dream of President Nayib Bukele, who wants to change the narrative surrounding the Latin American country. 

The wave has always been there, but Surf City hasn’t. La Libertad, the city surrounding Punta Roca, has undergone quite the transformation – all part of an elaborate strategic plan by the new government to promote El Salvador as a global tourism (surf) destination.

President Bukele sees surfing as one of the pillars of the future to transition from the homicide capital of the world to a thriving economy with tourism as its main artery. So what better way to spin that PR wheel than bribing Elo to bring the circus sans Tyler, Seth, Kelly and 2x John to El Salvador.

The Women’s side of things

Surf City was ready. The Bitcoins for the event winners mined. But the forecast looked mini – until yesterday! Still slightly hungover on the 3rd day of the event window, Punta Roca’s right hand chocolate factory was deemed good enough for an early start for the women. Lakey P took out Tati West and Gabby Bryan with a set of mid-range scores in slow, grindy conditions in the first Heat of the day.

The co-world’s best surfer (according to some media house) and The Ultimate Surfer winner Tia Blanco finds herself in the Elimination Round after losing to Courtney Conlogue, where she is joined by Rissa Moore, Bris, Caroline Marks, Jo Defay And Steph for Sudden Death. 

The conditions have been tricky. Dropping tides and onshore winds made it hard for the women to get going as the Opening Round underwhelmed with lowish scores and unremarkable maneuvers until Sally Fitz rattled the rest with an assault of Air3s and mid-air rail grabs. The landings were incomplete, but no cartilage had been harmed in the making of the Sally Fitz show, and if there is a lady stomping airs in this event it has to be her!

The men’s side of things

Speaking of airs and missing cartilage. Yago Dora spun almost out of frame on his 9.0 ride in Heat 1, which lands him a spot in the Round of 16. That broken foot seems broken no more!

Kanoa Took out Heat 2 while Robbo continues to impress with a convincing win in Heat 3. 

World Number 1 Toledo also booked his ticket for Round 16, looking sexy on the Sharp Eye blades. Fil was up against Nat Young and local hero Bryan Perez. Perez turned heads with solid surfing and possibly the longest backup board of the circus. Bryan will be one to watch, headed into the Elimination Round when we return.

Italo, Kolohe, Grif, Jake Marshall, Jaddy, Callum Robson, Miggy and Matty G round out a star-laden Elimination Round – probably the best we’ve seen all year.

Also, swell’s on the way! Lots of it. As the GOAT says it so well in his highly featured, well-placed, well-produced Outerknown commercials, “we’re only just getting started.” Ah, those Apex trunks must sell well.

The Sudden Death side of things

The ladies worked overtime in Central America yesterday. Carissa Moore jumped out of the plunge pool and into the basin for her Sudden Death matchup with Tia Blanco. A solid 15.66 heat total and a pair of good to excellent scores from Carissa were too much for the Ultimate surfer who bailed out in the Elimination Round in both of her wildcard callups this season.

Jungle winner Jo Defay sent Gabby Bryan packing while Caroline Marks and Steph Gilmore took out Brisa Hennessy and Tati West, respectively, in pretty fun, much cleaner conditions than earlier in the day.

And this, my friends, sums up a pretty busy first day in El Salvador. 

The number side of things

Opening Round – Women

Heat 1
Lakey Peterson – 12.16
Gabriela Bryan – 10.27
Tatiana Weston – Webb 7.57
Heat 2
Courtney Conlogue – 11.13
Carissa Moore – 10.50
Tia Blanco – 8.67
Heat 3
Isabella Nichols – 11.53
Caroline Marks – 9.17
Brisa Hennessy – 7.44
Heat 4
Sally Fitzgibbons – 12.87
Johanne Defay – 8.50
Stephanie Gilmore – 8.34

Elimination Round – Women
Heat 1
Carissa Moore – 15.66
Tia Blanco – 7.84
Heat 2
Johanne Defay – 13.26
Gabriela Bryan – 10.47
Heat 3
Caroline Marks – 13.30
Brisa Hennessy – 10.44
Heat 4
Stephanie Gilmore – 14.40
Tatiana Weston – Webb 9.13

Opening Round – Men
Heat 1
Yago Dora – 14.27
Ethan Ewing – 14.00
Jordy Smith – 10.73
Heat 2
Kanoa Igarashi -10.70
Connor O’Leary – 10.03
Carlos Munoz – 3.27
Heat 3
Jack Robinson – 12.67
Josh Burke – 10.00
Samuel Pupo – 9.93
Heat 4
Filipe Toledo – 13.83
Nat Young – 10.66
Bryan Perez – 8.96
Heat 5
Jackson Baker – 11.84
Italo Ferreira – 11.17
Kolohe Andino – 9.50
Heat 6
Caio Ibelli – 12.00
Jake Marshall – 10.33
Griffin Colapinto – 9.60
Heat 7
Gabriela Medina – 14.50
Jadson Andre – 10.86
Callum Robson – 4.70
Heat 8
Barron Mamiya – 13.50
Miguel Pupo – 11.93
Matthew McGillivray – 10.94