OCEANSIDE — Leilani McGonagle rode one of the best waves of the day on her way to becoming the first international winner of the Super Girl Surf Pro on Sunday in Oceanside.
The Costa Rica native trailed two-time Super Girl champion Alyssa Spencer of Encinitas in the finals when the wall emerged. The goofy-footed McGonagle landed a third turn on the wave just before reaching the Oceanside Pier for a score of 8.17 — the difference in being carried out of the water as champion.
“I was actually excited to see that a bigger set came through just because it had been kind of scarce,” McGonagle said. “I knew if I could surf it to my ability that it would be a good score and I’m really happy I just didn’t fall and was able to get an excellent score this event.”
Competing against surfers like Spencer, McGonagle said she was “happy to take one and be able to just keep growing and surfing.” She called her victory a “full circle moment,” noting the Super Girl Pro was the first Qualifying Series event she ever entered, in 2014.
“It’s awesome to be here with my friends and my mom,” she said. “It just feels amazing.”
The three-day Super Girl Surf Festival drew more than 75,000 attendees, with Saturday marking the largest single-day crowd in its history, according to organizer ASA Entertainment. Despite gray, sometimes drizzly conditions, fans turned out in droves to visit sponsor booths, watch competitions and listen to live music.
During her set, singer McKenzi Brooke paused between songs when she spotted an attendee who looked like an ex-boyfriend.
“This is a message to all my girlies,” Brooke said. “If he looks like a walking red flag, it’s ok to say, ‘bye.’”
More than 770 athletes competed in more than 10 sports over the weekend. Of those, 176 competed in the Surf Pro shortboard and longboard events.
Alana Johnson, 17, of Hawaii, earned top honors in the longboard competition in her third time entering. After realizing she had won, Johnson said she was “really shocked and super happy.”
“I feel like I’m still kind of in shock,” she said.
Johnson thanked her father, who also serves as her coach, for making the trip. She said she loves the supportive atmosphere of the Super Girl Pro.
“It’s just so fun coming back and spending time with all these amazing girls,” Johnson said. “To have these events and these concerts and everything, it’s just so fun.”
