Brisa Hennessy on the 'wild ride' to get to the Lexus WSL Finals event in Lower Trestles, CA

Coming off an amazing Summer Olympic Games in Tahiti, surf fans are jonesing for more. Luckily for them, they are in for a treat, an epic day of California surf is just around the corner and some of the world's top surfers will be going head-to-head to see who will be the next world champion. One woman sitting in a prime spot to capture her first WSL World title is Costa Rica's own Brisa Hennessy.

Hennessy shines as a bright light in any contest she enters. She is a mix of smiles and power and when she hits the lip of the wave fans and competitors alike can see why she is considered among the best out there. Hennessy will be coming into the Lexus WSL Finals event in third place which is a great spot for her to show her skills and get her in a position to climb the ladder to the number one spot. She spoke with Fansided about the upcoming event and the journey she took to get there.

"I think I took, like, my first real exhale all year, to be honest," Hennessy said of the moment when she clinched her Finals spot. "I think everything, all those moments, just kind of all leads up to the greatest moment of your life, and all your adversity and hardships and triumphs, everything that you've worked really hard for."

Hennessy is having one of her best years to date. She is fresh off a trip to Tahiti where she competed for her country of Costa Rica in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. The road to get to the final was a tough one and throughout a busy summer, Hennessy has kept her spirits high.

"Positivity is something I definitely try to preach and live," she said. "And there's definitely days that are hard, and I definitely am human, but I feel like, within all the rain and there's sunshine, and you can find the rainbows, and I just feel like it's so important to showcase not only the bright side of life but also know that we all have challenges and we're human within that I think a big part of healing and enjoying this moment is trying to find the positivity and smile through it."

Behind the smiles, Hennessy is putting in the hard work. She is so close to realizing her dream of being a World Champion and she is certainly putting all her effort to make sure she is the best she can be on Finals day.

"I've been working a lot on endurance training, I think just how to navigate my stress better, and just working a lot of my breathing and trying to find peace in chaos," she explained. "I think that it's going to be one of the craziest filled days of our lives, and it's very jam-packed and action-packed, and I think you have to be on constantly, and that's going to be an amazing challenge, and I think I'm ready."

The 2024 season has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs all of which have impacted Hennessy in one way or another. She is now just days away from the culmination of all her hard work and traveling the world. To recap her season Hennessy is grateful for the opportunities and experiences she has shared this year.

"Oh gosh, I would say a wild ride," she said as a way to describe her season. "I think within even the little moments, you find yourself here and have to, I think, grab one and believe in yourself and enjoy the ride, and then you'll find yourself exactly where you're meant to be."

The Lexus WSL Finals will begin the waiting period on September 6. Depending on optimal conditions this event will run one day within the one-week waiting period. The format begins with the number five seed taking on the number four seed and the winner progressing throughout the day. The number one seed will then have to win a best of three sets to be named the champion. The action can be seen on WorldSurfLeague.com.