It may be April Fools’ Day, but Carissa’s comeback is no joke.
At just 16 years old, Carissa Moore was the youngest ever to win a Triple Crown of Surfing. In 2010, Moore was awarded the ASP Women’s World Tour Rookie of the year. In 2011, she won the ASP Women’s World Tour. However, 2012 proved to be a difficult year for Carissa; she had accomplished so much at such a young age. Coming to grips with Steph Gilmore’s win was trying for the young and talented athlete. Could 2013 be Carissa’s comeback year?
The 2013 Rip Curl Pro event at Bells Beach presented by Ford in Victoria (Australia) started out with some stellar 9 point rides which highlighted the strength of women’s surfing. Tyler Wright told reporters: “You don’t have an easy heat. Every heat today, everyone was over 16 points [for their two best rides]. It’s insane.” Tyler Wright was doing everything right. Wright went on to defeat Sofia Mulanovich, Malia Manuel, Paige Hareb, and Courtney Conlogue. She caused quite the frenzy when she bested five-time Women’s World Champion, Stephanie Gilmore (even if Stephanie was suffering from a foot injury). The fitting song Hells Bells (by Australian rock band AC/DC) blasted on the loud speaker at the Rip Curl Pro. In the finals, 20-year-old Hawaiian, Carissa would encounter 19-year-old Australian, Tyler Wright on her turf. Moore managed to catch an early wave in the 3-5 ft. surf which would prove crucial later on. With a 9.57 first wave lead, Carissa would play the waiting game with Wright. A 25 minute lull in conditions left the two wave-starved. Famished and almost giving away priority, Moore caught a 5.83 ride late in the heat. The combined heat total of 15.4 over Wright’s 8.0 gave Carissa the upper hand, the hand which she used to ring her bell.
Winning at Bells Beach and ringing the bell for all to hear her coming into her own sends a clear, resounding message! The slogan of the event is: “You gotta win it to ring it.” Bells Beach is an annual pilgrimage for surfers at Easter. Winning Bells is coveted because it is legendary for producing legends in the surf world. Fellow Hawaiian Shane Dorian is rumored to have said, “No kook has ever won at Bells.” Both her competitors and those who are unsupportive of women’s surfing get the reverberating message loud and clear. Carissa is a comeback kid.
This win catapulted Carissa back into the lead on the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT) ratings for the first time in over a year. Now, she possesses the lead in the race to the title. A redemptive moment for Carissa… not only did she suffer a rough 2012, but she also came all too close to a victory at Bells in 2011. In 2011, Moore made the final but lost to opponent, Sally Fitzgibbons. The event also showcased just how phenomenal women’s surfing has become.
Will Carissa continue to clutch onto her top position or has she just signaled her competition to the chase? With ringing in her ears from suffering an upset just after her 19th birthday, Wright may have just the motivation she needs to fight for the title. It is the second consecutive final the pair has surfed this year and it is only April (Margs being the first where C-Moore won). The next stop echoing on the 2013 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT) will be the TSB Bank NZ Surf Festival in New Zealand from April 3 – 7, 2013.
Bells beckons all to the race for the title. It is on.
Ring. Ring.
Results:
RIP CURL WOMEN’S PRO BELLS BEACH FINAL
1 – Carissa Moore (HAW) 15.40
2 – Tyler Wright (AUS) 8.00
CURRENT ASP WOMEN’S WCT TOP 5 (Following Rip Curl Women’s Pro Bells Beach)
1. Carissa Moore (HAW) 26,500 pts
2. Tyler Wright (AUS) 26,000 pts
3. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 19,700 pts
4. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 18,200 pts
5. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 16,900 pts
More info:
www.live.ripcurl.com
www.aspworldtour.com
Comments