Legendary Surfer Caroline Marks Climbs WSL Championship Tour Rankings

Surfer Caroline Marks continues to make positive progress in the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour rankings system after coming out on top again.

Maria Aldrich | Mar 25, 2025

Caroline Marks, who grew up south of Melbourne Beach, surfs during Saturday's lighthearted Red Bull Foam Wreckers event off Minutemen Causeway in Cocoa Beach. Red Bull Foam Wreckers / MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK

WSL Championship Tour

After an exhilarating performance at 2025 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the third stop in the World Surf League (WSL) Championships Tour, professional surfer Caroline Marks has earned a new spot in the ranking system. Now sitting at No. 3 with an accumulation of 19,490 points from each competition stop, Marks has quite a bit of momentum going.

At MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal in Peniche, the 23-year-old amassed 7.90 points with Gabriela Bryan having been eliminated in second place with a score of 6.97. While Marks makes some movement in the rankings, two top athletes continue to hold the helm: Australian Molly Picklum at No. 2 and American Caitlin Simmers at No. 1.

"It wasn't the prettiest Final, but we'll take it,'' said Marks, as reported by August Howell of SURFER Magazine. "It was really challenging, but winning feels so good, I'm so pumped. The last couple of years, it felt like I was building momentum in the second half of the season, so to start off with a win and just be really consistent to be in the Finals Day for every event so far has felt really good. It's just been such a good environment around here, it feels really special to share this one with my dad. He doesn't come to many events, so to have him here is really good."

Following numerous strong performances, it was announced was Marks has been named the 2025 Waterperson of the Year — a career milestone for the young surfer. As released by the Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA), Marks has served as a "trailblazer" for women in her sport.

Alongside Marks for the tremendous win stands 28-year-old Brazilian surfer Yago Dora who earned a score of 13.37, allowing him to defeat Italo Ferreira. Ferreira, 30, is currently ranked No. 1 in the Championship Tour system. After managing to jump up 11 spots, Dora is now ranked No. 4. While he still has a way to go, witnessing such a massive jump is certainly promising.

The WSL Championship Tour will now head to Punta Roca, El Salvador for its fourth stop with events stamped on the calendar for April 2 -2.

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Published Mar 25, 2025

MARIA ALDRICH

Maria Aldrich graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education. While earning her degrees, she learned the fundamentals of climbing, wilderness travel, and leadership in the backcountry. These skills built upon Maria's lifelong passion for the outdoors. Following graduation, she began working in the outdoor recreation field, serving individuals with disabilities to help them access outdoor pursuits including hiking, paddling, horseback riding, and snowshoeing. The following year, Maria moved to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State to continue working towards a life of adventure and writing. She has continued rock and ice climbing, hiking in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks, and paddling through various rivers while documenting her experiences through writing. When Maria isn’t adventuring in the mountains, she can be found reading a book, fishing on a shoreline, or spending time with family.