The Salvadoran surfer will make history as the first athlete from his country to participate in a World Surfing Tour event.

World-class surfing is in El Salvador, and with the incredible waves offered by the Central American country, a top-level show is guaranteed.

The host country earned a wildcard through trials to award one surfer a spot in the event. The winner of the trials and holder of the wildcard was Bryan Pérez, a highly skilled athlete who is projected to be the top international surfer from this Central American nation.

Bryan is a great surfer—respectful, humble, and above all, driven to excel at the highest level. He gave us an interview about the event and Surf City, which we're sharing with you here.

What does it mean to you to have been able to enter a CT date?

It means a lot to me, a dream come true, since I've wanted to be at an event of this level with the best athletes in the world since I was little, so it's a huge blessing for me to be able to be a part of this.

As a Salvadoran citizen, how do you view the fact of holding an event of this magnitude in your country?

In my opinion, this event had been in the works for some time, since we had already hosted QS and ISA World Championships. The waves are perfect for any kind of event, and the locations are ideal. Personally, bringing the best surfers in the world to El Salvador is a dream come true. So, I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who made this event possible and to the World Surf League for choosing Punta Roca.

As a local from Punta Roca, how would you describe the wave where the tournament is held?

The wave at Punta Roca is a right-hand break with rocks on the shore. It's a wave with a face, and you can also get barreled and perform radical maneuvers. It's a perfect wave that starts deep out but is ideal for finishing deep out.

What do you think has been the key point for the evolution of Surf City in El Salvador?

The key point has been that we have very good waves practically all year round, so we have that advantage and of course the boost that the government has given to sports and tourism has been fundamental, now people come and know a large part of the waves that are here and different other beautiful places that can be visited and are very close.

Based on your knowledge of the wave and swell that will be coming into Punta Roca, which day do you think the wave might be best and why do you think so?

Yes, the waves are a bit small right now, and of course the tides are also affecting things a bit, but I think the event could be held on Tuesday or Wednesday when a swell of four to five or six feet comes in and there could be better waves, so I think that's the best thing. In this tournament there's time and that's the good thing, that we can hope for favorable conditions for everyone.

Written and interviewed by: Enrique Hernández