The International Bodysurfing Association – Bodysurf World Tour Finals (IBSA BWT Finals) are the culminating event of the international bodysurfing season, drawing athletes who have qualified through regional competitions worldwide during the previous year.
Team USA returned from the 10-day holding period in Australia in early May, which allowed event organizers to select the best waves across four contest days. The event brought together top-ranked athletes from around the globe, including representatives from the USA, Australia, Polynesia, Latin America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Despite fierce competition — including seasoned athletes and a former Olympic gold medalist — Team USA fared exceptionally well, with two Del Mar Bodysurfing Club (DMBC) placing in the final events and two others reaching the semi finals, according to a news release.
Michelle Urkov, 17, of the DMBC and a resident of Huntington Beach, placed second in the Women’s Division. A Huntington Beach lifeguard and future Division 1 water polo player at UC Irvine, Urkov showed her strength in the water, commanding the waves and proving that, despite her young age, she could compete with older and more experienced athletes. This marks her second consecutive year competing at Worlds and her highest placement to date on the world stage.
“I am very proud to represent my country, and I’m super pumped!” said Urkov in the news release. The youngest member of Team USA explained her strategy: “I always want to catch the first wave and hold first priority as much as I can, and better my waves throughout the heat.” Her plan worked well in the finals, as she held first place for much of the heat before ultimately being edged out by champion Dolori Gomes from Hawaii.
Greg Wilkinson, also of Del Mar, placed third in the Men’s Division, showcasing long, smooth rides consistently through all his heats. Wilkinson is a returning competitor and longtime DMBC member. A multi-sport athlete originally from South Africa, he also represents the USA on the National Touch Rugby Team. In Wilkinson’s semi final round, he beat the horn to score a critical ride that advanced him into the finals. In the finals, he once again caught a wave near the buzzer, this time to move from fourth into third place.
“I was fortunate to catch waves that enabled me to move up late in the heats,” said Wilkinson in the news release. “I couldn’t have hoped for better results. The time in Australia was the ultimate bodysurfing experience of my life.”
Scotti Shafer and Meredith Rose, both also from the Del Mar Bodysurfing Club, reached the semi finals in the Women’s Division. Shafer, the #1 ranked woman in the USA, competed just three weeks after undergoing reconstructive surgery with metal plates and screws following a skateboarding accident that shattered her elbow.
The 2025 World Bodysurfing Tour is currently underway in five regions around the world. The North American Qualifying Series (QS) kicked off in April at Salt Creek in Dana Point. Two more QS events remain: one in Del Mar on Oct. 12 and another in Huntington Beach this November. The next BWT finals are set to take place in in September 2026.
For more information, visit: www.usabodysurfing.org
