The rookies are ready. Photo: Screenshot
The first stop of the Championship Tour is already done and dusted, but it’s never too late to get to know the latest class of rookies. This year, seven new rookies join the tour: five men and two women. This is the CT class of 2023:
Ian Gentil
As a junior, Gentil’s surfing was nothing short of impressive. In his early teens, he secured multiple national titles, turning a lot of heads in the process. With his success, he found expectation and by his 20s, he was completely burnt out. So, he decided to stop surfing. After a three-month break, he was fired up again. With a newfound appreciation for the sport and a mindset centered around having fun, the 26-year-old from Maui began competing again. He spent some time competing in the QS, then the CS, and in 2022, he qualified for the 2023 CT.
“All together, I’d say it took about four years through the Challenger Series to qualify. There’s a lot of nerves, there’s a lot of adrenaline, and there’s a lot of excitement.”
Caitlin Simmers
The 17-year-old surfer from Oceanside, California has been flirting with qualification for years. She first qualified for the 2022 CT but turned down the offer to spend one more year competing on the Challenger Series. She rounded out the 2022 Challenger Series tied for third, and decided it was time to make her debut on the CT.
“My goal is probably just to make the cut. I’m just going to see what happens, maybe try to do some roundhouse cutbacks, maybe get barreled. That’d be pretty sick.”
Rio Waida
Born in Saitama, Japan to an Indonesian father and a Japanese mother, Waida’s family relocated to Bali when he was five and he took up surfing. Fast forward to 2016 and Waida won the Quiksilver Young Gun’s surf event and $10,000 in prize money. In 2019, he qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games via the ISA World Surfing Games. And in 2022, he qualified for the Championship Tour, becoming Indonesia’s first CT surfer at age 23.
“I’m really grateful for my mom and dad. When I made the tour they cried and they were happy. I’m proud of myself that I worked hard and reached my goals. I hope I inspire more kids and I hope more Indonesians make the tour. I’m here to win, so I’m going to give everything to beat these guys.”
Sophie McCulloch
In order to qualify for the 2023 Championship Tour, the 22-year-old Australian surfer needed to win the Haleiwa Challenger. And she did. And she secured the final CT spot in the process. In addition to surfing, McCulloch is also pursuing a degree in marketing and biomedical science. She has dreams of qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Maxime Huscenot
Maxime Huscenot’s road to CT qualification has been a long one. His career started off hot when he won the world junior title, becoming the first French surfer to ever win it. From there, he went on a bit of a losing streak. But, in 2022, he got his act together and secured a fourth-place finish on the Challenger Series, finally earning his spot on the CT.
Ramzi Boukhiam
Born in Morocco to a Moroccan father and a Dutch mother, Boukhiam spent his formative years surfing the breaks north of Agadir. In his teens, Boukhiam relocated to Saint Jean de Luz, just south of Biarritz, France where he had the chance to hone his talents surfing the European circuit. In 2012, he won the European junior championship. In 2019, he landed a spot at the Tokyo Olympics. In 2022, he finally secured his spot on the 2023 CT. The 29-year-old is the first Moroccan to ever qualify for the CT.
Liam O’Brien
The 22-year old surfer from the Gold Coast of Australia secured his place on the 2023 CT with a semi-final finish at the Haleiwa Challenger. O’Brien is well-known for his tube riding skills and nearly qualified for the CT in 2022. But, he injured himself in a Pipe warm-up session. He recovered from the injury and competed on the CS where he ultimately finished ninth, securing his place on the 2023 CT.
