Erin Brooks Just Qualified For The 2025 CT, Placing Large Stick In Spokes Of Women’s Tour
The first gen of Ladybirds are overdelivering on their promise.
17 year old Erin Brooks has officially secured her spot on the 2025 Championship Tour after advancing through her Round of 32 heat in Saquarema, Brazil. Scoring a 9—the highest wave score of the event so far– for two crisp turns on a wonky right-hander, Brooks embraced with her father in the shoreline as a vibrant crowd cheered her on.
Since her pre-teen years in Stab High Ladybirds, Erin has faced immense pressure and high expectations to achieve greatness. That constant affirmation, however, comes at a cost — something Caroline Marks alluded to after winning her first World Title.
“It’s funny,” Caroline said, “I was actually talking to my friends about this the other day. They were saying, ‘Oh, it must feel so good to live up to the expectations of being a World Champ,’ because I was told that over and over as an amateur. But that’s the case for so many kids who show promise, and for many, it never materializes. So, honestly, it’s been a huge weight off my shoulders.”
While Brooks already lists accolades more impressive than half the womens’ tour, including: a CT win (at the new Final 5 venue, Fiji), a Rip Curl Padang Padang Cup final (against full-blown tuberiding blackbelts), a Stab High Ladybirds win, and several CS + QS wins, you get the sense we’ve only gleamed the tip of the iceberg.
Brooks started the year with a bang, winning at Snapper Rocks and finishing runner-up at Narrabeen. A few slip-ups followed—two 25th-place finishes at Ballito and Portugal—but she bounced back with a solid ninth at the U.S. Open. By dropping her worst results, Brooks entered Saquarema ranked No. 4 on the CS leaderboard.
“Qualifying here in Brazil, with its amazing surf fans, is something I’ll never forget,” she wrote on Instagram. She went on to thank her family, friends, sponsors, and coaches, underscoring how much of a team effort it’s been to reach this point. “I still can’t believe I get to travel and compete with the best surfers in the world. Dreams do come true!” she added, her gratitude palpable.
Qualifying at such a young age is not without precedent. Caroline Marks, the reigning 2023 world champion, did so at 15. Caity Simmers, who claimed the 2024 world title, qualified at 16 but opted to delay her debut by a year. Erin Brooks, though, seems ready to dive straight in, with the global surf community eagerly awaiting what’s next for this standout teenager.
Alongside with Bella Kenworthy, she will join 2024 World Champion Caity Simmers, as Ladybird alumni on surfing’s biggest stage in 2025.
Congrats Erin.
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