OCEANSIDE — At just 14 years old, rising surfing star Ruby Stringfellow made history over the weekend as the youngest champion in Super Girl Surf Festival history.
Stringfellow bested San Clemente’s Mia McLeish in the final round of the three-day event. According to the World Surf League, Stringfellow took control early in the heat, posting scores of 6.67 and 5.00, and held the lead through the final horn.
Stringfellow has had a strong season in the World Surf League Qualifying Series. In April, she posted a 7.17 during her season debut at the Vans Jack’s Surfboards Pro in Huntington Beach.
The Super Girl Surf Festival Oceanside is a women’s QS 4,000 event held annually at the Oceanside Pier. The festival celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, marking two decades of empowering girls and women through professional surfing, action sports, gaming, music and other activities.
“We are incredibly grateful for 20 years of support, love and enthusiasm for this incredible movement we call Super Girl,” said Rick Bratman, CEO of ASA Entertainment and Founder of the Super Girl Festival Series. “We are proud of how far we’ve come and even more excited for what’s ahead as we continue to grow, and empower women and girls.”
Born in Costa Rica and raised on Maui, Stringfellow now lives in Ladera Ranch in southern Orange County. She became a professional surfer at a young age, advancing to the Super Girl semifinals in 2024 at age 13.
Stringfellow’s first career QS final and victory propelled her from No. 16 to No. 1 in the rankings. The win also served as an early birthday present for the young surfer, who will turn 15 in less than two weeks.
“This is insane that it’s the 20th year, and I’m the youngest to ever win, it’s just the cherry on top of the cherry,” Stringfellow said during a post-finals WSL interview. “Just to anyone watching, you can pursue your dreams because they can come true.”
Stringfellow recalled watching McLeish’s final attempt to earn enough points for the victory.
“I saw Mia go on that wave and just thought, oh my gosh, please no – but when they said the wave didn’t have enough power to let her complete it, I was speechless. This gave me a lot of confidence,” she explained.
Stringfellow said she wants to continue surfing, earning strong results and “being the best role model I can be.”
In addition to the QS event, the festival featured a longboard surfing competition in which defending champion Alana Johnson of Hawaii won her second consecutive cape after defeating San Diego’s Summer Romero.
“It was great sharing a heat with Summer,” Johnson said following her win. “I look up to her so much and she’s such an amazing surfer. The waves were really fun and clean. Winning another cape feels really great. I always love coming back to Super Girl.”
Back on shore, thousands of visitors enjoyed a variety of activities throughout the weekend, including mentorship opportunities connecting young girls with professional surfers; skateboarding, inline skating and quad roller skating competitions; a DJ competition; beach soccer and volleyball; open-water swimming; fitness and wellness classes on the #GOALS Stage; panel discussions; food; and live music.
This year’s concert lineup featured B.o.B, Hippie Sabotage, Pearl and Iration among its headliners.
North County musicians in the lineup included Flailing Idiot, Go Scarlet, Mad Hunny, The Cherry Bombs, Hannah Geller, San Diego Brass and Electric, and The Long View.
Although the festival and its concerts were free and open to the public, organizers required advance registration because of high interest.
