Caroline Marks, Olympic Gold Medalist, Breaks Down Surfing in 3 Easy Steps

The 2025 SI Swimsuit model shared her expertise while on set in the Sunshine State.

Caroline Marks was photographed by Ben Horton at The Boca Raton. Swimsuit by Belle the Label. / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to surf, Caroline Marks is the ultimate teacher. The 23-year-old Florida native has been surfing competitively since the age of 8, and earned Rookie of the Year honors courtesy of the WSL in 2018. The professional athlete claimed the World Surf League title in 2023, then went on to earn the gold medal in surfing at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. So, to say the 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue model’s résumé is stacked would be quite the understatement.

While on set at The Boca Raton in Boca Raton Fla., for this year’s magazine, Marks sat down in between takes posing for photographer Ben Horton’s lens in order to share a little surfing 101.

Below, the two-time brand star shares exactly how to get out there and crush a wave just like the pros.

Step 1: Read the wave

The “ultimate feeling” as a surfer is “getting barreled,” according to Marks, which basically means you’re in the tube of the wave that’s created as it curls.

“Let’s just say you’re surfing over a reef, which is normally where the waves barrel the most, you’re kind of looking for the water to be drilling off of the reef, like kind of sucking up, if that makes sense,” Marks explained on set. “You just have to like read the wave.”

Step 2: Understand paddling and positioning

The positioning and timing of the wave, combined with how hard you paddle, all come together in an instant to determine whether or not you’re going to barrel a wave, the athlete noted.

“Normally when the waves really hollow and sucks up a lot, you need to paddle a lot harder than you think,” Marks advised. “So taking those extra paddles, I think is the best advice I can give you.”

Step 3: Have fun!

While it may initially be intimidating to get up on a surf board if you’ve never tried the sport before, Marks says practice makes perfect.

“In order to get really good at surfing, you know, it takes a lot of time in the water and there’s never the same wave, so don’t get discouraged,” she says. “Go out there with a friend, you know, it makes a lot more fun.”

Check out Marks’s complete 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue feature, captured in the Sunshine State, here, and watch her exclusive behind the scenes content on set here.

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