8 Dazzling Photos of World Surf League Champion Caroline Marks in Turks and Caicos

The pro athlete posed for the SI Swimsuit Issue three years ago.

Cara O’Bleness | Oct 3, 2023

Caroline Marks was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos.

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Professional surfer Caroline Marks is on top of the world. On Sept. 9, the 21-year-old athlete won her first world title when she bested Carissa Moore during the World Surf League finals.

The Florida native first started surfing as a young girl and is the youngest surfer ever to qualify for the women’s Championship Tour at the age of 15. Marks, who participated in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, is now preparing for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Last month, Marks opened up to The Guardian about her upbringing in her sport.

“I genuinely love surfing so much and it just brings me so much joy and I think that’s part of the reason why I got so good,” she says. “And my parents when I was younger didn’t really push me that much. They pushed me, but they didn’t push me in an unhealthy way... I think just always having that was really special because surfing was always fun. They never pushed me to the point where it wasn’t fun for me anymore. It never felt like a job or anything, and I’m really, really grateful for that. I just think my pure joy for the sport is what sets me apart.”

When Marks posed for the 2020 SI Swimsuit Issue, that genuine joy was evident in each of the photos James Macari captured of the athlete on her surf board in Turks and Caicos. Below are a few of our favorites.

Caroline Marks — James Macari/Sports Illustrated

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Published Oct 3, 2023

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.