Space Coast Native Caroline Marks in First Place in Olympics Surfing Action, Will Compete in Tahiti Today at 1 p.m. ET

Olympic surfing venue located on Tahiti in French Polynesia, over 9,000 miles from Paris

TAHITI – Brevard County native and 2016 Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame inductee Caroline Marks, 22, is in first place in Olympic surfing action after successfully riding the iconic Teahupo’o wave and is in first place after the first round on Saturday.

The venue is located on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia, over 9,000 miles from Paris.

Marks is a reigning world champion surfer that honed her skills off the beaches of the Space Coast.

She is competing against 24 of the best surfers in the world and dominated round one, heat one, of the women’s surfing category, scoring 17.93 points. She took on Sarah Baum of South Africa and Yolanda Hopkins from Portugal.

Marks advanced to round three and will next compete on Sunday at 1 p.m. The 24 female contestants are divided into eight heats of three surfers each. The winner of each heat then advance to the round of 16, while the remaining two will compete in a repechage.

The Tahitian wave is unlike any other wave in the world. Located in the crystal-clear waters of the South Pacific with a lush mountain landscape in the background, Teahupo’o is a postcard of paradise, according to an Olympics spokesperson.

COMPETED IN THE 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS

Marks is no stranger to the big stage having competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she missed the podium by one place at Tokyo 2020, but with Paris 2024 in her sights, she sits ranked as world number two and is hungry for Olympic gold.

The 22-year-old Space Coast surf phenom has been at the top of the scene ever since becoming the youngest person to ever qualify for the WSL Championship Tour at age 15.

“I’m in such a different headspace now from the last Olympics,” Marks said during a recent interview.

Surfers will compete across four days during a nine-day window from Saturday, July 27 to Sunday, August 4. The tentative competition dates are set from July 27-30.

Complete schedule for upcoming surfing events

Sunday, July 28
1:00 p.m. ET: Women’s Round 2
5:45 p.m. ET: Men’s Round 2

Monday, July 29
1:00 p.m. ET: Men’s Round 3
5:45 p.m. ET: Women’s Round 3

Tuesday, July 30
1:00 p.m. ET: Men’s & Women’s Quarterfinals
5:45 p.m. ET: Men’s & Women’s Semis, Medal Finals

MARKS IS A 2016 SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

BREVARD WUNDERKIND

When asked what her favorite book is, Caroline Marks doesn’t hesitate with her answer.

“The Bible,” said the then-14-year-old surfing wunderkind from Melbourne Beach.

Her faith and her family come first to Caroline, and this well-grounded attitude, coupled with an incredible surfeit of innate talent, has enabled this young surfer to earn serious accolades from the surfing community well before she can even drive.

2015 was an excellent year for Caroline, who was named the Volcom VQS World Champion, NSSA Open Girls National Champion, the NSSA Explorer Girls National Champion, NSSA Open Women’s National Champion and the Surfing America USA Champion.

Adult surfers would feel extremely blessed if they could claim just a portion of what this young woman has already accomplished.

The year 2014 also brimmed with kudos for Caroline. “Surfing” magazine named her #11 in the “Hot 100” list.

She was the 2014 RipCurl Grom Search National Champion and earned a trifecta as Surfing America USA Champion under 16, Surfing America USA Champion under 14 and Surfing America USA Champion under 12.

In one year, she has traveled the world, from Indonesia and Bali to Australia and Brazil, chasing waves and winning competitions.

Caroline’s career is the stuff of surfing legends. At 11, this goofy-footed ‘tween was the youngest girl to make the USA Surf Team. She is also the youngest female ever to surf in a World Surfing League Women’s Pro event.

When she was 12, Caroline tied surfing world darling Carissa Moore’s record as the youngest NSSA Open Women’s Champion. She was the youngest ever to win the Vans U.S. Open Championships with her Pro Junior Title.

Her ability enabled her to gain a wildcard spot in the Swatch Women’s Pro, making her the youngest wildcard in World Surf League history. Overall career highlights include 11 national titles in three years.

ART IN MOTION

Watching Caroline gracefully ride a perfect wave from start to finish is seeing art in motion. Not only is she amazing on the water, but back on land, she is also humble and sweet, and as passionate about her large family as she is about her favorite sport.

Big brother, Luke, by the way, is a fantastic, nationally-ranked surfer who introduced Caroline to surfing.

Although she divides her time between the training waves at San Clemente, California, and the home surf of Melbourne Beach, Caroline is often out on the road, traveling the circuit of the big waves.

In the next two years, Caroline is well poised to polish off her amateur career and qualify for the World Tour.

“I want to bring a world title back to the East Coast,” she said.

She is on the road every other month with her parents or her coach, but no matter how many frequent flier miles she may accumulate, Caroline can’t wait to come back home again and hit the beaches of the Space Coast, particularly along her homebreak at Sebastian Inlet.

“Nothing beats a good swell in Florida,” she said.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT the SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com

CLICK HERE to see all the members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

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