Carissa Moore Combos Her Way To A Maui Pro Victory

Yesterday, we were pleasantly unsurprised to see Stephanie Gilmore win her seventh World Title. The odds were in her favour, prior results lent her way, and soon enough she was officially declared the equal-most-winningest women’s surfer in the world. 

Today, the idyllic Honolua conditions continued. Steph got knocked out in the semi’s by Malia Manuel, leaving Carissa Moore and Malia to slog it out at pumping Honolua for the prize money (and a higher seeding next year).

As tired as the cliche is, Carissa built a house throughout the day. And by the time the final’s came her house was complete, but Carissa had time and energy to install a spa, cinema room, venetian blinds, and water her fiddle leaf fig. With a 8.67 in her pocket, Carissa came out and whacked a Honolua bomb into submission for 10 points. The only 10-point ride of the entire women’s season, and the last we’ll see on Maui as the women move over to Oahu next year. 

There’ll be a full comp wrap coming within the coming hours. While you wait, entertain yourself with this replay of Carissa’s perfectly scored wave. 

Rory, take it from here. 

It’s tough to bid the women’s Honolua contest goodbye. It’s an event that is, by far, my favorite gynocentric shredfest of each year. Warm water, great surf, an opportunity to shine in the very best conditions available without consideration of the sport’s male half.

This year was no exception. Carissa Moore took the win with a performance that can only be called dominant because I’m unable to think of a word that means the same thing, only more so. Dominantier?

The WSL’s site currently lists the 2019 replacement event as the Hawaii Women’s Pro, located in Hawaii, Hawaii, which isn’t a place. But previously released plans, those stated during Ms. Goldschimdt’s public dispute with the City and County of Honolulu, indicate that the WSL wants to axe the Pro Junior division of the Sunset Open and replace it with the ladies. It’s a double loss in that local surfers will be denied a ‘QS attempt while, if we’re being honest, the ladies will end there year at a venue that lacks sex appeal in the modern age of surf.

Make no mistake, Sunset is a powerful, terrifying, wave when it’s working. But it’s awash with current and sneaker sets and doesn’t make for the most engaging viewing. It hands out gorgeous still shots and provides a litmus test of a surfer’s ability in powerful deep water swell. But, you’ve gotta admit, it’s usually pretty boring to watch.

The notion that the change is being made because of monetary issues makes it all the worse.

I mean, I totally believe that it costs more to run on Maui than in Fiji. Maui has sky high costs of living, isolation in the middle of the Pacific, and a county policy that, unlike Oahu, charges a fair amount for permitting. Slightly over $26k in 2015, which is the most recent year I could find. 

Still…it sucks. And we fans are free to bitch and moan about the loss.

At least the final Beachwaver Pro was worth watching!

In case you were wondering, as I was, what Beachwaver is… it’s a hair care company that sells some sort of high end curling iron. It’s the type of non-endemic sponsor one hopes the WSL can hang onto. Related, at least a little, to the competitors (most women have hair), and likely more profitable than your average surf co.

Conlogue on a Honolua drainer. Photo: WSL/Cestari

Injury prone Fitzgibbons went down in the quarters. She displayed true heart, gave it her all, but was unable to overcome a bum wing. Watching her attempt to paddle back out after her only wave was brutal. Weston-Webb blasted her backhand into a lovely 8.1, but was unable to best Conologue’s combined total.

Ms. Gilmore grabbed her second title yesterday, before falling to Malia Manuel in today’s semifinal. She surfed as skillfully as always, flowing and smooth. But she didn’t come close to the display of ability that Moore uncorked.

Steph opted for the pretty coloured sticks from DH. Photo: WSL/Cestari

Carissa Moore’s semifinal win against Conologue featured a 9.5 that was a thing of beauty. Upright pseudo-fade into the barrel before tearing the roof off with two big swooping top turns. Back foot heavy, powerful, magnificent. It put her on a tear going into her final against Manuel and the unfortunate Kauaian never stood a chance.

There weren’t a ton of waves ridden in the final, but the ones Moore found were more than enough to clinch victory. Her 8.67 and true-blue 10 were things of beauty, masterful displays of ability. Jaw dropping, awe inspiring, feats of rad. The kind that inspires little girls into chasing boundary pushing careers.

Carissa’s lethal outside rail isn’t the only reason she won. Photo: WSL/Sloane

And, yeah, Moore followed it up with her typically chirpy, happy, I’m-just-stoked-to-be-here positivity. And, yeah, as always, it rubbed me slightly wrong.

Because I want my competitors to eat flesh and drink blood, not hold hands and skip down the lane.

But, really, it’s because she leads an objectively awesome life and seems more than capable of appreciating it.