A Costa Rican surfer has secured a top-three finish at one of the world’s most prestigious bodyboarding events.

Dulce Agüero, from Barranca Beach in Puntarenas province, placed third at the Hawaiʻi Pipeline Bodyboarding Championship (HPBC), held at Ehukai Beach on Oahu’s North Shore in Hawaii, USA.

According to the Surf Federation, Agüero made history by becoming the first Costa Rican to finish third in the women’s division at the tournament.

Agüero advanced to the final round on her third day of competition, where she faced Brazilian competitors Luna Hardman and Jessica Becker.

Hardman won first place with 15.43 points, while Becker finished second with 14.33 points. Agüero secured third place with 9.10 points.

The HPBC is widely recognized as the most prestigious bodyboarding event in the world. The championship is held within a 14-day window from Feb. 20 through March 5, 2026.

With a $23,000 prize purse, the event features 150 elite competitors from 20 countries competing in five divisions: men’s, women’s, junior men’s, junior women’s and masters.

Surfing is one of the most popular sports in Costa Rica. Recently, the Surf Federation announced the 2026 National Surfing Championship, the country’s premier surfing competition, which is being held on both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

Costa Rican surfers also continue to achieve success internationally. Leilani McGonagle, 24, earned a historic victory at the Super Girl Surf Pro, a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 4,000 event held in Oceanside, California, USA.