Costa Rican surfer Leilani McGonagle won her first gold at a Women’s QS 1,500 in Punta de Lobos, Pichilemu, Chile (Maui and Sons Pichilemu Women’s Pro).

Not only did McGonagle manage to win the event but she also earned the only two perfect scores during the event; the first of them during the semifinal when she beat Peruvian Daniela Rosas with a score of 10 and 7.83 for a 17.83 vs. a 9.84 by Rosas, this score earned her the pass to the final where she met Australian Freya Prumm and beat her with a 18.03 (8.03 + 10) vs. a 16.34 (8.17 + 8.17) score by Prumm.

“I wanted to win this event so bad! I was second last year and I was second in Japan last week. I didn’t want another second place, and with the help of the great waves here at Pichilemu I made it”, said an euphoric Leilani when she came out of the water.

Leilani took her risks and had two very deserved perfect scores, but her 10 at the final was impressive, showing the control the talented surfer has over the waves and her board.

“For the last 10 I was very nervous because I had very little time left and I needed a high score. At the end I took the wave at the right time, and I felt at home. It was an all or nothing situation. Everything turned out the way I planned it!” added the champion.

This result gives Leilani the second best result in the year, she won 9th place in the 6,000 point event in California, climbed 15 spots in the world ranking going from 47 to 32 and she is now consolidated as the second best Hispanic in the ranking just behind Dominic Barona from Ecuador who is holding position 15.

Leilani will be back in Costa Rica this Tuesday and has an agenda full of international events that will give her the opportunity to climb more spots in the ranking.