Major Upsets In The 2024 ISA World Surfing Games  

As the battle for Olympic qualification continues in Puerto Rico, we shed a tear for the recently-approved Canadian citizen and Stab High Ladybird winner Erin Brooks, whose dream of flying the maple flag in Paris later this year has come crashing down. 

After being knocked by Tahiti’s Vahine Fierro in round 2 of the ISA World Surfing Games (WSG), Erin was forced to start the eight-heat quest for qualification through the repechage round, which was cut short in her first elimination matchup yesterday. Erin marginally lost to Great Britain’s Alys Barton, needing a 3.90 in deteriorating conditions. 

With consistent results in waves of truth, including the Rippy Padang Cup against Clay Marzo in 2022 and the Vans Pipe Masters in 2023, Erin would have been one of the front-runners in this year’s Teahupo’o Olympics. Coming up against Molly Picklum, Caity Simmers, Vahine Fierro and the reigning gold medalist Carissa Moore, Erin’s road to victory would have been tough yet doable.   

After being an official Canadian Citizen for six weeks, Erin will now have to refocus her sights on the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.  

Other surprising 2024 WSG losers include the 2020 Olympic silver medalist Kanoa Igarashi, who won the World Surfing Games for Team Japan in 2022 but was defeated with a 6.00 total in repechage round 3. Current world number four, Jordy Smith, also lost with a pitiful scoreline (4.43) in repechage round 3, and world number two Caity Simmers was sent packing with a mere 3.5 points to her name.

Fortunately for Caity, Kanoa and Jordy, they’re all pre-qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games. And considering the Portugal CT starts on March 6, it’s probably in their best interest not to surf another 34 heats in in Puerto Rico. Their losses, while not necessarily intentional, are probably beneficial.

Watch day of the 2024 ISA WSG 6 tomorrow.