Brevard surfer Marks California dreamin’

At age 11, Melbourne Beach surfer Caroline Marks made history, becoming the youngest surfer ever to be selected to the Surfing America USA team.

Saturday, she will be the youngest of eight semi-finalists who will compete in the WSL Women’s Junior Pro during the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California. The event, which has been held since 1994 at the Surf City USA venue, attracts thousands of spectators every summer.

“I’m stoked to be here and am fortunate to be advancing to the semis this weekend,” said Marks, in her first U.S. Open event.

“The waves have been so much fun; I am just hoping it continues.”

Since June, Marks has captured four amateur titles in southern California — including a back-to-back 2014/2015 victory in the U-14 division at the Surfing America USA Championships and three division titles at this year’s NSSA (National Scholastic Surfing Association) national championships.

Late last month, Marks racked up another win in the “girls fish” division at the Lower Trestles site — the Volcom Totally Crustaceous Tour contest. This global competition featured younger surfers from both the U.S. and abroad.

Last weekend, in Oceanside, she was one of the youngest ever to compete at the prestigious invitation-only Paul Mitchell sponsored Super Girl Pro — an event that showcased 108 of the world’s best female competitors.

She posted the highest heat total of the first round (15.60) to advance to round three.

“It was amazing. To have accomplished this at my age means a lot,” she told WSL officials. “It was great being among so many great women surfers here, many who are already on the tour.”

Marks, currently ranked fifth on the WSL Junior Women’s North America Tour, will face Californians, Meah Collins and Tiare Thompson, and Hawaii’s, Zoe McDougall in Heat 1 of the semifinals at the U.S. Open of Surfing on Saturday.

Top seed Chelsea Tuach, of Barbados, at age 20, the eldest of the semifinalists, will be matched up with Hawaii’s Brisa Hennessy, Australia’s Holly Wawa, and California’s Frankie Harrer.

Marks, the runner-up at last March’s Ron Jon sponsored Women’s Junior Pro event in Cocoa Beach, will likely move up on the junior women’s rankings if she advances to the final round.

Live coverage via the web can be viewed by visiting the official Van’s US Open of Surfing website; vansusopenofsurfing.com/2015-surf live.