While You Were Shopping: Carissa Moore Won the Surf World Title and Nabbed an Olympic Games Slot at the Lululemon Maui Pro
As if we don’t feel the Black Friday-through-Cyber Monday hangover enough, the Native Hawaiian from O‘ahu dominated in a shortened format in heavy storm surf while her top two rivals lost heartbreaker heats at Women’s Surf Championship Tour Lululemon Maui Pro at Honolua Bay. It’s Moore’s fourth world title.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games has been rescheduled to begin July 23, 2021 and end Aug. 8, 2021. The Paralympic Games have also been moved to Aug. 24, 2021.
Already a member of the Surfers’ Hall of Fame as of 2014, O‘ahu’s Carissa Moore barreled her way into history at 9:45 a.m. Monday by winning her fourth World Surf League title, nailing down the top spot for Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The latter assures a Native Hawaiian will be in the games, fulfilling a dream of Olympic champion Duke Kahanamoku, who first proposed the idea.
Moore won her title two ways on Monday at the Lululemon Maui Pro. First, she dominated her quarterfinal against Australia’s Nikki Van Dijk, pulling into two thick tube rides and emerging to screams from the crowd on the beach and cliffs above Maui’s Honolua Bay. Moore’s 16.00 overall score was composed of the two 8.00 rides. Van Dijk managed 10.90 in a spirited challenge.
Next, as Moore withdrew and rested up for her semifinal, the next quarterfinal pitted Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore against Caroline Marks, a 17-year-old power phenom from Florida who was the only other surfer left in contention for the world title. Both Marks and Moore had nabbed the two U.S. women’s Olympic spots on Sunday when the third rival for the crown, Santa Barbara’s Lakey Peterson, lost a stunning heat to Australia’s Tyler Wright.
SEE ALSO: 11 Things Locals Need to Know About 2020’s First-Ever Olympic Surf Competition at the Tokyo Games
On Monday history repeated as seven-time world champ Gilmore slammed the door on Marks. With that result, the title was Moore’s, who waited, headphones on and burying her face in her hands, in a WSL tent. When the camera found her, and the horn sounded, pandemonium broke out.
Gilmore and Moore enjoyed a long hug after in full view of the crowd, setting a tone of celebration of women’s surfing over any individual’s achievement. After a round of hugs, interviews and screams while being carried aloft by her team, it was back to business for Moore. In a hotly contest semi later that morning, however, Gilmore cleanly bested Moore to move into the finals. In rapidly deteriorating surf, Gilmore went on an hour later to defeat Tyler Wright, 6.83 to 6.00—no karma needed, but a nice outcome nevertheless.
The Lululemon Maui Pro failed to happen for days as waves weren’t forthcoming at Honolua Bay, a favorite right-hand spot of Moore. On Sunday, however, heavy storm surf and gray skies greeted the 7:30 a.m. starting horn. Instead of spreading the event out over three or four days, the WSL was forced by the forecast to make it happen in two. The powerful waves and fast tempo worked to Moore’s advantage on Sunday, as she won her first seeding round, allowing her to rest up for the round of 16. Her quarterfinal on Monday showed off her strategy as well as her unique affinity for Honolua Bay; she had more and bigger barrels than any competitor.
The Olympic spots for Moore and Marks were awarded on Sunday after Peterson was eliminated. Kaua‘i’s Tatiana Weston-Webb also won her way to an Olympic selection, for Brazil.
We covered Moore’s two-day run to the World Surf League title on Twitter @donwallace212, so if you want to see how it went down in real time here’s our feed:
This was a live blog, which was last updated on Monday, December 2 at 1 p.m. Please scroll to the bottom of the page and work your way up to start from the beginning.
Monday, December 2
Semifinals, Heat 2 with Stephanie Gilmore and Carissa Moore
Shortly after granting Carissa Moore her crown as 2019 World Surf Title by beating Caroline Marks in the quarters, Stephanie Gilmore beats her in the @Lululemon Maui surf pro semifinal. @honolulumag It’s a fitting scenario for 7-time World Champ Gilmore, who won in 2018.
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Monday, December 2
Quarterfinals, Heat 4 with Caroline Marks and Stephanie Gilmore
Huge moment for Women’s World Title: Caroline Marks loses to Stef Gilmore and CARISSA MOORE wins 4th Title!!!!! @honolulumag @wsl @lululemon MAUI surf pro Congratulations to Olympian and Native Hawaiian Moore for representing the state and surfing with such beautiful spirit
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
As Moore awaits semis her only competition forWorld Title is Caroline Marks, 17 year old Florida phenom, currently leading veteran Stef Gilmore. Surf is getting flukey. They have to push through to finish semis and finals today in falling swell. Bodes ill @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Monday, December 2
Quarterfinals, Heat 3 with Carissa Moore and Nikki Van Dijk
Moore: 14.67 and just disappeared into a steep deep barrel… and comes out to screams. Breaks into smile. Score sure to jump. @honolulumag 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.2 … I’m betting she’s heading for semifinals. @wsl
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Van Dijk answers and trails by a point, slips on a cut, loses priority… Screams as Moore gets tubed behind her. Bracing! Crowd and announcers buzzing. @honolulumag @wsl @lululemon Maui pro
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Carissa Moore’s tally up to 11.17 to Van Dijk 5.17. Both waiting for waves. Announcing her Olympic slot as first Native Hawaiian in first surfing Olympics. Duke would be proud. @honolulumag @Olympics #hawaii
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
It’s on: Hawaii’s Carissa Moore grabs first wave and whoa: 6.67. Van Dijk hits back with 5.57. Battling quarterfinals @lululemon Maui pro @honolulumag @wsl
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Monday, December 2
Quarterfinals, Heat 1 with Tatiana Weston-Webb and Sally Fitzgibbons
Kauai’s Tatiana Weston-Webb gets her Olympic slot (as a Brazilian!) after dominant quarterfinal win. @honolulumag @wsl @lululemon Maui surf pro
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Fitzgibbons left Weston Webb right: cutback comparison. @honolulumag @wsl World Surf Championship happening now on Maui. Webb wins quarters, Hawaii’s Carissa Moore up in 40 minutes to claim World Title. @lululemon MAUI pro pic.twitter.com/HqO0pRBKW9
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Looks like Weston Webb cutbacks are finding more favor with judges than Fitzgibbons’ … it’s really slash vs flow, an old argument among surfers. Slash the monotonous preference these days. @wsl @lululemon Maui pro @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Monday, December 2: The Quarterfinals are on
Watching interviews with losers as well as winners @lululemon Maui Pro was struck how well spoken and intelligent women surfers seemed compared to male pros. As career sideline sports reporter this holds true for all sports except sailing where men do cogitate @honolulumag @wsl
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Good morning surf fans! The @lululemon Maui Pro quarterfinals are on as of 730🎉 Grey waves and strong women: Tatiana Weston Webb of Kauai (and Brazil for Olympics) vs Sally Fitzgibbons now. @honolulumag @wsl Next up in 38 minutes: Carissa Moore
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Sunday, December 1: Day 1 Comes to a Close
First day @lululemon MAUI women’s surf finale for 2019. Hawaii’s Carissa Moore nabbed a US Olympic spot, Caroline Marks the other. They possibly face each other tomorrow in semifinals, but if either loses in the quarters, the other one is World Champ. @honolulumag @wsl
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Sunday, December 1:
Round of 16, Heats 3 (Wright vs. Peterson), 5 (Moore vs. Macedo) and 7 (Marks vs. Ho)
Are #wsl judges drunk? Carissa Moore gets first barrel and rips for a … 5.33? This consistent under valuing does not bode well for her in the next heats. It also smacks of male gaze judges dazzled by thongs over power moves. Get your eyes up, lads. Don’t embarrass @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Showdown for Carissa Moore and Summer Macedo: the youngster starts with a 3.00 to serve notice she’s not intimidated. Moore has just qualified for the Olympics with Peterson’s upset loss. And here’s her first wave: big slashing turns and power landing. Great stuff! @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
UPSET! Tyler Wright outsurfs and outstrategizes No 2 world Lakey Peterson knocking out Carissa Moore’s most dangerous opponent in round of 16. If Moore wins her heat she’s in the Olympics. If she holds serve vs Caroline Moore in semis she wins Title. @honolulumag @wsl @lululemon
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
World Surf League judging has a history of aligning with the marketing department: example here in giving Lakey Peterson an 8.30 top score and a bunch of 7.5s for a smallish wave with cookie cutter cutbacks. Anything to keep the big finale? @honolulumag @wsl
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Knockout heats to come: Carissa Moore vs local Summer Macedo in about an hour: favorable pairing for No 1 surfer, follows Peterson vs Wright. Marks v Ho an hour after Moore. If the waves hold up. If the surfers hold up. Very unusual so many heats in a day. @honolulumag @wsl
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 2, 2019
Caroline Marks vs Hawaii’s Coco Ho: knockout round. Ditto Tyler Wright vs Lakey Peters. The World Title could be decided right here if Wright and Ho win in upsets. @honolulumag @wsl @lululemon Maui Pro
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Sunday, December 1:
Elimination Rounds, Heats 1 (Caroline Marks, Keely Andrew and Summer Macedo) and 2 (Tyler Wright, Johanne Defay and Brisa Hennessy)
Forced into elimination rounds, Caroline Marks and Tyler Wright both survive by ripping big thrashies … Marks escapes to keep pressure on Carissa Moore and Lakey Peterson for World Title. Wright is a definite spoiler. @honolulumag @wsl @lululemon MAUI surf pro
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Sunday, December 1:
Seeding Round, Heat No. 3 with Carissa Moore, Coco Ho and Summer Macedo
Carissa Moore advances for World Title and Olympic berth @lululemon MAUI Pro taking Heat 3 crushing speed and daring. Now she can rest up for the knockout rounds. Judges stopped at her 11.83 even though last 2 waves could’ve posted much higher. Coco Ho in second. @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Heat 3: all from Hawaii womens surf showdown a bit of stereotyping by World Surf League? North Shore Oahu’s Coco Ho hops out on a nice medium roller,4.17, Carissa Moore dinks a 1.50 to get her feet wet, Summer Macado on tap, Brazilian who grew up on Maui. @wsl @honolulumag #surf
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Sunday, December 1:
Seeding Round, Heat No. 2 with Lakey Peterson, Silvana Lima and Tyler Wright
Heat 2, Women’s World No 2 Lakey peterson in second to Silvania Lima and Tyler Wright with 930 left. @wsl @lululemon Maui Pro @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Sunday, December 1: Reading break
We break from covering world surf hunt to read this powerful Filipino poet who’s settled in Hawaii after a life of hard labor @BambooRidge @elmeromarbascospizo @honolulumag #writers #poetry pic.twitter.com/z9vfSbuvXI
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Sunday, December 1:
Seeding Round, Heat No. 1 with Caroline Marks, Nikki Van Dijk and Macy Callaghan
Heat over: Marks loses. Top two advance: Van Dijk and Callahan, whose last wave showed her comfort in stormy surf. Good going rookie! Marks goes to single elimination round later. @honolulumag @wsl Women’s World Championship #lululemonMauiPro @lululemon
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Here’s the scenario for Hawaii’s Carissa Moore: she’s gotta win head to head with Peterson and Marks. But she and others could lose in early heats too and in a truncated day of very heavy storm surf there’s no telling @honolulumag @wsl @lululemon MAUI Pro pic.twitter.com/kdWRV7T7ff
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Van Dijk loses her rail and takes huge barrel on her head but pops back up @wsl World Surf League Lululemon MAUI Pro. But she leads 5.83 over Caroline Marks 5.3 with 8:30 left in heat. @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Scores : 3.1 for Marks, 1.5 van dijk, 1.23 Callahan, gives an idea of difficult conditions: that’s on a scale of 10. Women’s world title chase at MAUI. @wsl @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Surf is huge and stormy: Victory at Sea conditions at Honolua Bay @wsl @lululemon women’s Maui Pro @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Women’s Surf Title and Olympic berth on the menu for three women: Carissa Moore of Hawaii and part Native Hawaiian, Lakey Peterson of Calif and young charger Caroline Marks of Florida, who’s up right now in first heat. @lululemon Maui surf pro @wsl @honolulumag
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Women’s World Title run opens in a truncated window: first no surf for days, now big gnarly 10-12’ with blustery winds @lululemonmauipro @WorldSurfLeague @honolulumag So they’re going to run single elimination. Lots of heats. Carissa Moore needs top finish to secure her title.
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
The #lululemonMauiPro is On. Three Americans. Two Olympic Spots. One World Title. Watch live now on https://t.co/ie0ZfNdmHw, the WSL app, or Facebook Live. 🌺 @lululemon pic.twitter.com/sKAkmDJWs0
— World Surf League (@wsl) December 1, 2019
The Women’s World Title and Olympic berths are on the line today @lululemonmauipro #worldsurfleague Honolua Bay @honolulumag pic.twitter.com/MNHf4qqqVq
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) December 1, 2019
Sunday, November 30: Still a no go
We’re going to tweet the Women’s World Championship of Surfing at Honolua Bay, Maui @honolulumag —if the waves ever come! Next call Sunday at 730 am. Hawaii’s Carissa Moore vs Lakey Peterson and Caroline Marks for World title and a Olympic slot #lululemonmauipro @lululemonmauipro
— Don Wallace (@don212wallace) November 30, 2019
Wednesday, November 27: Until further notice …
The #lululemonMauiPro has been called OFF for the day. We're looking at a swell developing for Saturday through Monday that's forecast to be around 6 foot. Check back in for more updates. @lululemon @JessMileyDyer pic.twitter.com/HmifGjnWus
— World Surf League (@wsl) November 27, 2019
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