Surfing-Marks claims first world title, Toledo secures back-to-back win.

Caroline Marks Claims First World Title, Filipe ‌Toledo Retains Championship

By Lincoln Feast

(Reuters) – American surfer Caroline Marks powered her way to her first world ⁣title on Saturday, while Brazil’s Filipe Toledo went back-to-back to claim ​his second ‍championship with ⁢a hard-fought win over surprise finalist Ethan⁢ Ewing from Australia.

Ewing fractured two vertebrae ​in ⁢a ⁣wipeout in Tahiti just last month and ‌was a long shot to⁢ be fit for ⁢the ‌one-day Rip ‍Curl WSL Finals ​held for the top five surfers at Lower Trestles, Southern California’s epicentre of high-performance surfing.

Judging criteria published ahead of ​the finals emphasized how big, ⁢innovative aerial manoeuvres ⁢would be highly rewarded.

But⁣ Ewing’s high-speed, on-edge carves in the overhead waves proved undeniable as he racked up ‍huge scores to overcome Brazil’s Joao Chianca and⁤ then hometown ⁢hero Griffin Colapinto to win ⁢a spot in the‌ best-of-three final against Toledo.

Toledo, however, showed once again his mastery of his adopted home break, combining his own searing turns with ‍high-risk aerials to ⁢edge Ewing 2-0 ​and retain his title.

“It’s‍ so hard ⁢to put ⁢into words what it took for me to⁣ be here ⁢right now,” Toledo said after embracing his⁤ family and being carried​ up the beach. ⁣

“So much sacrifice, a lot of ⁢sacrifice to be honest.‌ Seven years ago when I ‌had my first kid, I wasn’t home to be there with my wife…I knew in the long run it would pay ⁣off and​ this is a dream come true.”

Marks, already a five-year world tour veteran at 21, overcame Hawaii’s five-time world champion and Olympic gold⁣ medallist Carissa ⁢Moore in the women’s final.

The Floridian was the only goofy-footer ‍(standing ‌with her right foot forward) and used her powerful backhand to great effect,⁣ throwing huge fans ‍of ‍spray to get the best of 17-year-old ⁤phenom Caitlin Simmers and then Australia’s ⁣two-times world champion Tyler Wright ⁢to reach the final.

She carried that momentum into the first best-of-three match-up against Moore, notching up two excellent scoring waves ⁣and securing a comfortable win.

Marks, ‌who like‍ Toledo has⁤ moved to nearby San Clemente, again found the best waves in the second ⁣match-up and held⁤ on to win with a two-wave total of 14.6 ​out of a possible 20.

“This whole week ‌has been just magical. ⁤Everyone from Florida and from San Clemente has ⁢been supporting me, I just can’t believe it,” Marks said after her win. “There’s going to be ⁣a massive party after this⁢ and everyone​ is invited!”

The win breaks the stranglehold that Moore, Wright and Australia’s Steph Gilmore have had on ‌the world title since ⁢2007,​ and confirms Marks’ place alongside Moore in the U.S. surfing team⁣ for the Paris Olympics in Tahiti⁣ next year.

(Reporting by Lincoln Feast in Sydney; Editing by Hugh⁢ Lawson)

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