It looks like the best representatives of Costa Rica surf league have been outside the country and out in various places around the world competing in surf contests and earning bank.
In November alone, there were almost 20 of these athletes on the world stage: Carlos Muñoz at the Hawaiian Pro and Vans World Cup of Surfing, both in Oahu ; Brisa Hennessy and Leilani McGonagle at Port Stephens Toyota Pro in New South Wales, Australia; Joseph Mendez, Jason Torres, Leon Glatzer (German surfing for Costa Rica) at the ALAS México Puerto Escondido Latin Pro; Sam Reidy, Malakai Martinez, Aaron Ramirez, Eva Woodland at Live Like Zander Junior Pro at Soup Bowl, Barbados; Noe Mar McGonagle, Aaron Ramirez, Anthony Fillingim, Anthony Segura, Axel Castro, Jason Torres, Joseph Mendez, Cedric McCrakin, Steven Arauz, Malakai Martinez, Sam Reidy, Sean Forrester, Angelo Bonomelli (the last two a Canadian and an Italian surfing for Costa Rica) at Surf City El Salvador ALAS Latin Pro.
Here are some highlights:
Try as he might, Carlos Muñoz worked hard in the last two Qualifying Series (QS) dates in Hawaii with the goal of landing in the Top 10 of the QS ranking, a spot that would have given him the opportunity to surf on the Championship Tour (CT) next year. It was very close as he arrived at #16 after the first of the dual Hawaiian QS contests in Haleiwa, and he stormed through 4 rounds into the quarterfinals and went up to #13. And then, at Sunset Beach he ended those CT dreams in Round 4, and down at #22.
Regardless, Muñoz had this to say about his 2019 ride: “I thank God for everything he has given me this year in my career as a surfer, from the good to the bad he has always been with me. I prepare with more strength and experience for this 2020. I have a dream to fulfill and a great country to represent! Thanks to all my sponsors: Chocofrutas, Scotiabank Costa Rica, Jinca Foods, Ricante Hot Sauce-Made fresh in Costa Rica and all the people for their unconditional support. God bless you – pura vida.”
Hennessy was thrilled to finish the year with requalification for the Women’s CT for 2020. She rides to #10 in those rankings after securing another 5th place at the last QS date in Australia. (She’s #5 on the QS rankings, so Hennessy double qualified.) In addition, she was announced to be provisionally qualified to be the first Costa Rican to surf in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“I can’t believe it was exactly one year ago at this exact place where I got the news that I qualified for the Dream Tour, and yesterday I got the news that I will get to stay on another year for the 2020 WSL CT. It’s been a crazy ride, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your love this year, near and far, it makes all the difference,” she said right after the announcement.
More news from our Costa Rica Surf report:
For McGonagle, she advanced to Round 6 before the contest, and her QS year. Her ranking for 2019 was a very impressive #30.
Her brother Noe Mar McGonagle won the Open category of the Surf City El Salvador ALAS Latin Pro. His final heat with local, and highly favored, Bryan Pérez, was the Pavones native’s chance to have a rematch with the Salvadoran—and win. Pérez bested him at the Pan American games earlier this year in Peru.
“Super happy after returning to ALAS,” McGonalge said. “I have a little injured knee, but had a positive mind and that gave me this super important victory. This is a great motivation to end the year.”
Noe Mar was competing all year on the Men’s QS, so El Salvador was his one and only appearance at the Latin Pro, and therefore was not in contention for the Latin American title. He did, in fact, take home a check for $6,600 and was very happy about that.
Meanwhile, Sam Reidy won the Junior category in the same contest, and though this too was his only ALAS date, the points earned him #5 in Latin America for the year.
Costa Rica Surf : Malakai Martinez
After his first QS Junior win the month prior, Malakai Martinez continued his momentum at the Soup Bowl Pro Junior in Barbados. Even though he placed 2nd behind Noe Ledee of France, Martinez worked the whole heat, and nearly took over throwing everything he had into his final wave. But, in the final moments, Ledee shot right back with a high scoring wave to overcome Martinez for 1st place.
“I hadn’t surfed this wave enough and couldn’t really figure it out during the free surfs with so many people and having to sit super deep so I’m glad it came together,” Martinez explained during the contest. “As a backhander, you have to find a different kind of wave that gives you a more vertical section for the better scores, so it’s tricky, but I had fun once I relaxed more.”
“I never got to come here when Zander (Venezia) and I were close,” he added about the surfer who died in wicked current a couple of years ago, and who the contest is named after. “But when he came to Costa Rica to train we used to have some good battles before we became good friends. I have a lot of good memories with him, especially our last surf together on the East Coast before the accident.”
