ARECIBO, Puerto Rico, CMC – Barbados’ top female surfer, Chelsea Tuach, produced an impressive performance to finish second at the inaugural 2024 La Marginal Surfing Pro World Surf League (WSL) 3000 Series on Sunday.
In the final round, Tuach faced off against Costa Rica’s Leilani McGonagle. A slow start saw Tuach earn the better of the opening exchanges.
The two traded the lead multiple times heading into the back half of the final, with Tuach having the slightest edge over McGonagle, with a score of 5.67.
However, a massive exchange unfolded in the final five minutes, with McGonagle unleashing her forehand attack to overtake the lead from Tuach with a heat-best score of 7.83.
In the dying moments, Tuach found an opportunity but fell short, scoring 11.04, just behind McGonagle’s 12.76.
It was Tuach’s third podium finish in the 3000 Series in the Caribbean, winning the Martinique Surf Pro in 2019 and the Barbados Surf Pro in 2022.
Her second-place finish propelled her to eighth place on the North American Qualifying Series ranking.
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