Ruby Stringfellow, 14, makes history with Super Girl Surf Festival victory

Ruby Stringfellow became the youngest Super Girl Surf Festival champion at 14 after defeating Mia McLeish in the Oceanside QS 4,000 final.

Ruby Stringfellow, 14, makes history with Super Girl Surf Festival victory

Ruby Stringfellow made history in Oceanside on Aug. 23, becoming the youngest champion in Super Girl Surf Festival history at age 14. The Ladera Ranch surfer edged fellow Southern Californian Mia McLeish, 11.67-11.46, in a dramatic women’s Qualifying Series 4,000 final at the event’s 20th anniversary.

Key takeaways

  • Stringfellow earned her first World Surf League Qualifying Series victory.
  • At 14, she became the youngest surfer to win the Super Girl title.
  • The victory lifted her from No. 16 to No. 1 in the QS rankings.
  • McLeish reached her first QS final and climbed to No. 7.
  • Stringfellow collected more than $9,000 and the champion’s signature cape.

The result capped a breakthrough weekend for Stringfellow, who navigated a difficult Finals Day draw and held off a late challenge from McLeish. It was her first QS final and victory, adding to the momentum she began building with a semifinal appearance in Oceanside in 2024 at age 13.

A historic final in Oceanside

Stringfellow established control early, combining waves worth 6.67 and 5.00 for an 11.67 heat total. McLeish answered with strong turns of her own and needed a late scoring opportunity to take the lead.

With the clock nearly expired, McLeish attempted one final ride. The wave lacked enough power to produce the required score, leaving her with a 3.17 and Stringfellow with the win. Both finalists were competing in their first QS championship heat.

“I saw Mia go on that wave and just thought, oh my gosh, please no,” Stringfellow said afterward. She described the victory as unreal and said it strengthened her confidence as she pursues continued results and hopes to be a positive role model.

Stringfellow’s challenging path to the title

The teenager faced a highly competitive bracket. She defeated Talia Swindal in the Round of 16, edged Tahiti’s Aelan Vaast 10.77-10.66 in the quarterfinals and then beat Eden Walla 11.90-10.83 in the semifinals.

Walla had been the youngest Super Girl champion before Stringfellow surpassed that mark. The semifinal was also a rematch of the pair’s 2024 meeting, when Stringfellow made her earlier deep run at the Oceanside festival.

McLeish and other standout performances

McLeish’s run began in the opening rounds and included a narrow victory over Hawaii’s Moana Jones Wong before she advanced past Barbados’ Chelsea Tuach and Hawaii’s Eweleiula Wong. Her runner-up finish moved her sharply up the rankings, from No. 45 to No. 7.

San Clemente’s Walla finished third alongside Wong. Santa Cruz’s Kaikora Nauenberg posted the best QS result of her career, tying for ninth after reaching the Round of 16. Three other Santa Cruz surfers—Kirra Huntress, Riviera Hunter and Isla Hardy—also competed.

What comes next for Stringfellow

The victory places Stringfellow in contention for Challenger Series qualification. She is scheduled to continue the campaign at the Virginia Beach Pro, another QS 4,000 event, followed by the Virginia Beach Super Girl Surf Festival.

Those events will provide an immediate test of whether the 14-year-old can sustain her breakthrough against a deep international field. For now, her Oceanside triumph has established Stringfellow as one of North America’s most closely watched young surfers.