Costa Rican Leilani McGonagle will make her first appearance in a CT event this Sunday when she competes in the Rip Curl Pro Bells trials, the second stage of the CT that takes place at Bells Beach in Victoria, Australia.

If she manages to win the event that brings together nine outstanding surfers from the sponsor brand's team and the state of Victoria, the Pavones native will join her friend Brisa Hennessy and there will be two Costa Ricans in the event.

In her Round 1 heat of the trials, Leilani will face Canada's Mathea Olin and Australia's Molly Picklum.

The winner will go on to the grand final of three, where it will be decided who will make it to the main event. Once there, she will face none other than Steph Gilmore and Bronte Macaulay.

Other surfers who have climbed include Alana Blanchard, Gabriel's sister, Sophia Medina and Alyssa Spencer.