The break between celebratory drinks was much shorter this time for Bond University graduate Rachael Tilly, who has claimed her third World Longboard Championship in El Salvador.
Tilly wowed the judges with her style and skill, and wore down her big-name opponents with her stamina, catching an incredible 26 waves across six heats to claim the sport’s biggest prize.
A decade ago, Tilly stunned the surf world by winning her first world title in 2015 as a 17-year-old – the youngest ever to do so.
It took nine long years for title number two, but the 27-year-old was unstoppable on her return to El Sunzal, the scene of the 2024 World Championship, as she became just the fourth surfer to be a three-time World Longboard Champion.
“It feels unreal. I feel really tired and in that heat, I just thought, please just get it done in this heat, because now all of the work today is really catching up,” Tilly said.
“Obviously, it was well worth it. I have no words. Honolua (Blomfield) and Soleil (Errico) have had three World Titles forever, and I’ve always been so inspired by them, and they set that bar. I’ve just been reaching for that bar.”
Entering the event as the seventh seed, her path to the title was nothing short of remarkable.
She began heat 1 with a standout 8.33 ride to oust American contender Kelis Kaleopa’a.
That momentum rolled on against seasoned campaigner Chloe Calmon and rising Japanese star Hiroka Yoshikawa before she toppled three-time world champion Honolua Blomfield.
She then needed a buzzer-beating wave in the dying moments of her semifinal against another three-time champion Soleil Errico to recover the lead and book her place in the final against top seed Avalon Gall.
Tilly opened with a solid 7.00 before sealing the deal with an 8.00 to take control. Despite a late fightback from Gall, Tilly’s poise under pressure shone through once again. A composed final wave was enough to clinch her third world crown.
Her performance sealed her place among the sport’s elite – joining Blomfield, Errico and Cori Schumacher in the rarefied “three-time world champ club.”
The Bond University Bachelor of Sports Management graduate balanced her degree with professional competition while a student, making the Dean’s and Vice Chancellor’s Lists, earning a University Blue for sporting excellence, and even interning with the World Surf League.
And she has proven her ability to get the most out of her sport and professional career over the past two years by combining her work in the surf media with her busy contest schedule.