Entering the season Caroline Marks was already the youngest surfer, male or female, to ever qualify the WSL Championship Tour. Now as the season wraps at the Beachwaver Maui Pro, she’s officially become the youngest surfer to be named WSL’s Rookie of the Year at the age of 16. Despite her age, Caroline was not intimidated by her competition as she recorded three podium finishes and a total of five top-five finishes against the best surfers in the world during the 2018 WSL Women’s Championship Tour. Marks, who’s been dominating amateur competitions since the age of 11, knew the adjustment to the pro level was not going to be easy but never shied away from the challenge.

I went into the season with the mindset of living in the moment. I wasn’t going to worry about what everyone else does or what anyone else says. I was just going to do my thing, and surf on instinct.
Caroline Marks

While her many thought her age would be her biggest hurdle, Marks showed no signs of nerves as she performed like she’d been on the tour for years. She was unfazed by the spotlight of the world stage storming her way to top five finishes in her first two events, eventually finishing her season in seventh place on the WSL leaderboard.

Thank you to everyone in my corner who has made this year so fun and special. It’s been so much fun learning along the way.
Caroline Marks

Now that Marks has her first season and a top 10 overall finish under her belt, she’ll look to improve upon her consistency event-to-event to reach even higher levels of her game. She maintains that her goal is to win a World Title, and judging from her first year as a pro, that day may come sooner than later.
 

A few months ago, Caroline headed to the North Shore of Hawaii to take a surfing crash course in “tour life” from 3x World Champion, Carissa Moore. On Moore’s home island of Oahu, Carissa helped Caroline prepare for her tour debut by chasing waves up and down the island appropriately nicknamed ‘The Gathering Place’.

Caroline Marks, the youngest ever female surfer to qualify for the World Tour, heads for the North Shore of Hawaii to take a surfing crash course in “tour life” from 3x World Champion, Carissa Moore. On Moore’s home island of Oahu, Carissa helped Caroline prepare for her tour debut by chasing waves up and down the island appropriately nicknamed ‘The Gathering Place’.

Photos courtesy Red Bull