Senior Prom or World Tour? It’s a question ripe in the mind of Carissa Moore, your current women’s ’QS leader. We’re currently more than three-quarters of the way through the ’QS season and Carissa, whether it was her intention of qualifying when she began the season or not, is poised to make her debut at the elite level come 2010. But it may not be such a simple choice for the prodigy as Carissa’s decision to attend, and excel, at one of the country’s most prestigious high schools, Punahou School in Honolulu, has been blasted over every bit of editorial that’s accompanied the 16-year-old. All of this begs the question: With one year of high school left and a potential ticket to the Big Leagues at her fingertips, will it be books or ’CT heat sheets for Carissa Moore next year? Read on to find out.
FSM: You’re currently ranked number-one on the ’QS. When you first started off this season, were you trying to qualify for the Tour or did it just sort of happen?
Carissa Moore: [laughs] Well, Coco Ho and I are both ranked first right now. But in the beginning of the year I just wanted to do a few events and see how I did. You know, just give it my best shot and see what happens. But I’ve had a few good results along the way but there’s still a few events left and anything can happen.
FSM: What are you going to do if you qualify? Are you planning on finishing up your last year of high school or will you hit the road on the ’CT?
CM: I can’t really say yet for sure because I haven’t qualified just yet. There’s still a few events left. I think it would be a dream come true to be traveling on the ’CT and going to school and surfing all of those waves, but I can’t say just yet because the season’s not over.
FSM: Can you talk about school a little bit and are you looking forward to your senior year?
CM:I’m actually really looking forward to my senior year. There’s a bunch of things that I’ve always wanted to do as a senior like go to senior prom. I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun.
FSM: I know you’re good friends with Coco Ho, has she given you any advice on the ’CT?
CM: Yeah, a little bit. She said the waves are super fun and she really likes it. She said that she just loved going to Snapper. She said that’s been her favorite.
FSM: For the rest of the season, what events are you really looking forward to doing?
CM: I’m looking forward to going to Huntington for the US Open. I haven’t been there in a while, but it’s such a crazy event. It should be fun.
FSM: I couldn’t help but notice that you weren’t at Lowers this year for Nationals. Are your NSSA days over?
CM: Yeah, I think so. I’ve had a lot of fun doing the NSSA and it was a great experience, but I think I’m done competing there. The good news is that my little sisters have started surfing in the NSSA so that’s gonna be a lot of fun.

Can it be true? Occy and Curren, battling it out again? We know the whole retro thing is back in full swing right now but this is just too good.
In a word, Adam Bice is "classic." Kauai classic at that. He stems from what may possibly be the most outrageous (read sacracastic) crew of a long line of bodyboarding clans to call the Garden Island home. In between Facebook updates, and pulling into closeouts, Bice found a few minutes to chew the fat with FREESURF. —Jeff Mull


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