Published on Monday, April 7, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Brisa Hennessy, a Costa Rican surfer from Matapalo Cape on the Osa Peninsula, has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Surf City El Salvador Pro, part of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour.

Hennessy secured her spot in the quarterfinals on Saturday by scoring 8.70 points in Heat 6 of the Round of 16, narrowly defeating France’s Vahine Fierro, who posted an 8.50. The event is taking place this weekend at Punta Roca Beach and draws top surfers from around the globe.

The Tica surfer is set to compete again this week in a high-stakes heat against Australia’s Molly Picklum and Hawaii’s Bettylou Sakura Johnson. A win would secure her a place in the semifinals.

The WSL Championship Tour spans multiple international locations, with stops in Hawaii, the United Arab Emirates, Portugal, El Salvador, Australia, the United States, Brazil, South Africa, French Polynesia, and Fiji. The Surf City El Salvador Pro serves as a key lead-up to the 2025 World Surf Tour, scheduled to run from Jan. 27 to Sept. 4.

Brisa is the daughter of U.S. citizens, Katherine Malia Kobara originally from Hawaii, and Michael James Hennessy from California.

Hennessy represented Costa Rica at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she was eliminated in the women’s bronze medal surfing finals.

In other recent sporting competitions, Costa Rican adaptive athlete Amalia Ortuño took first place at the Wodapalooza Adaptive CrossFit Games held in Miami Beach, Florida.

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