The World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) is set to head to Latin America for the 2025 Surf City El Salvador Pro at Punta Roca, with six wildcards officially entering the draw. Among them is Bryan Perez, a local standout who has already made a name for himself by defeating the World No. 1 surfer at this very break.
Perez, considered by many as one of El Salvador’s top surfers, made headlines in 2024 when he triumphed over Italo Ferreira in an unforgettable performance featuring massive turns and an impressive straight-air maneuver. His victory at Punta Roca showcased the explosive, high-performance surfing the CT is eager to highlight. Now, Perez will face Ferreira once again in the opening, non-elimination round, along with George Pittar. It’s shaping up to be an exciting showdown.
Representing Southern California are 22-year-olds Alyssa Spencer and Levi Slawson, both of whom earned wildcard spots as the highest-ranked surfers from the North American Challenger Series (CS). Although the two hail from Encinitas, their Championship Tour experience is limited. For Slawson, this event marks his first-ever CT heat, where he will compete against top surfers Ethan Ewing and Marco Mignot. It’s a challenging draw, but as a wildcard, Slawson is ready to make his mark.
Spencer, on the other hand, returns to the CT after a full-time stint in 2024 that saw her fall short of making the cut. Having spent the winter training on the North Shore, Spencer will be hoping that her backhand attack—developed through rigorous practice at Rocky Point—will serve her well at Punta Roca. In the opening round, she will face off against seasoned competitors Caroline Marks and Lakey Peterson.
The remaining wildcards include injury replacements Ian Gentil and Nadia Erostarbe. Gentil will fill in for Gabriel Medina, who is still sidelined, while Erostarbe steps in for Johanne Defay, who has announced her departure from the tour to prepare for motherhood. Kirra Pinkerton, fresh off her victory in the first Natural Selection Surf event in the Maldives, will replace Tatiana Weston-Webb, who recently revealed her decision to leave the 2025 CT to focus on mental health. Finally, Ryan Callinan will make his return to competition after missing Portugal due to a foot injury.
As the event window opens on April 2, anticipation is building for what promises to be an exciting contest at Punta Roca. Surfer will provide a full event preview with key surfers to watch and storylines to follow as the competition draws closer. Let the countdown begin!