Rogue Wave Nearly Splatters World Champion Surfer (Video)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Apr 30, 2025 10:17 AM ET

Longboarding, when compared to its shorter-sledded surfing counterpart, can often be seen as gentler, softer, less high-performance, more stylish pursuit. Generally speaking, that’s on account of the waves that fit a longboarder’s penchant – they, too, are typically of the mellower variety.

Again, oversimplification. There are longboarders who rip in heavy, high-performance waves.

But recently, during the International Surfing Association’s Longboard Championship in El Salvador, reigning world champion of the WSL’s women’s Longboard Tour, the United States’ Rachel Tilly, nearly got splattered against the seawall by a rogue wave during her heat, showing how gnarly longboarding can be in certain conditions. And Tilly navigated the situation expertly; watch as it unfolds below:

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A post shared by Rachael Tilly (@rachaeltilly)

“When trying to get out of the water after the heat was more eventful than the heat itself,” Tilly commented. “Thanks to the lifeguards for the help, high tide nailed us with the building swell but all is well that ends well haha. Round 2 done and onto round 3 here at the @isasurfing World Longboard Championships.”

Tilly was exiting the water at El Sunzal from her Round Two heat. With a high tide and a building, incoming swell, the waves were slamming against the seawall. She hands her longboard to someone perched above, but there’s no time for her to get out of the way of an incoming wave. So, she takes it head-on – leaping over the wave, scorpion style, with her legs nearly bending over her head. Then, she skillfully climbs the wall, and gets out of there in one piece.

“This really demonstrates how dangerous it is with that seawall,” the commentators remarked. “It’s a really serious threat to getting in and out. She uses her agility to get into the river. She’s safe, she’s solid. But that is a demonstration of how radical these high tide conditions are. Rachel showed some real skills to get out of that. Round of applause.”

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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