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| Meet Carissa Moore |
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 By Alee ThompsonCarissa Kainani Moore Birthday: 8/27/1992 Home Break: Kewalos Hometown: Honolulu Sponsors: ROXY She loves Hannah Montana, she knows the words to “Fergalicious” and she has a tendency to giggle. Noteworthy? No, not if we were describing your average 15-year-old girl. But we’re not. We’re describing Carissa Kainani Moore, a future world champion. Yes, we said it. World champion. Nobody wants to project that far into the future, but her talent and potential are undeniable. If you have any doubts, you haven’t seen her surf. For your jaw to drop, look no further than the highlights of Carissa’s past four years. At 11, she became the youngest surfer to compete in the Triple Crown. At 14, she beat seven-time World Champ Layne Beachley— twice— to place second in the Roxy Pro Gold Coast event. A few months later she surfed against 60 of the best 18-and-under amateur surfers to become the first ever “Queen” of the Quiksilver King of the Groms competition. Early this summer she set the record for the most NSSA National titles held by anyone, male or female, and a few months later she received not one, but two Surfer Poll awards, making her the youngest recipient in the history of the program. In October, she advanced out of her first ever Men’s WQS heat with a perfect 10. When Kelly Slater calls her surfing “mind blowing,” no one is asking why. With a repertoire like this, Carissa Moore could get away with a little cockiness. It’s almost expected of someone so young and talented to have a least a teeny bit of attitude. She is, after all, the girl whom industry heavyweights, top journalists and world champs are hinting could be the one to break down the walls of surfing’s gender barrier. Upon finding out that Carissa Moore is sweet, thankful and genuinely humble, you are introduced to her dichotomy. So humble, so talented— it’s a combo that gives her the double-edged sword that could lead her to changing women’s surfing forever. From the second Carissa’s up on a wave, there are noticeable differences between her and the other girls her age. Her style is graceful, but her maneuvers are technical and her surfing looks more like that of the top boys in her age group. In contests she pulls 360s at will, each one as effortless as the last, and she’s currently working on perfecting her airs. She has the ability to stand out among a group of ultra-talented peers by rarely, if ever, looking out of place on a wave. Control over her maneuvers, even after growing into a young woman, seems to be one of her biggest advantages. Standing about 5’7”, she’s taller than your average pro, but is successfully using that to her advantage, progressing into a more powerful surfer. She’s able to maintain the agile, loose kid-ripper advantages, while also pulling from a stronger base as she matures. Carissa started surfing with her father, Chris, a little over ten years ago. Like most surfing parents, he entered his daughter in the Menehune contests and pushed her into the gentle waves at Ali’i’s as a fun way to spend a weekend. Chris, who today is Carissa’s coach, best friend and full-time surfing buddy, had no idea what the future held. “[A career in surfing] wasn’t a goal. It was more like if she really ends up liking surfing, then it would be something we could do as a family, or do as a father-daughter thing," Chris recalls. Over the years, the sport has become a family affair, and most weekday evenings you can find Carissa alongside younger sisters Kayla, Kelly and Kylie at various South Shore spots. Dad is usually out in the lineup as well, but if a contest is approaching he focuses on coaching. All it takes is a whistle and an index finger in the air for her to turn around and paddle back out to get a final wave. Unlike some angst-ridden teens, Carissa enjoys Chris’s company, and still calls him “Daddy” in a sweet, high voice. “It’s really cool to have my Dad as my coach,” says Carissa. “I’m lucky to have someone in my family who supports me like he does. He goes with me everywhere, and he helps me so much.” Carissa has been given the opportunity to travel to some of the world’s best spots, thanks to support from ROXY, who has been with her since day one. Australia, Japan, the Mentawais, Fiji and Tahiti have all shared their waves with the local girl. With such a marketable style and remarkable talent, Carissa could have easily traveled to twice as many places. Instead, you can often find her at her desk doing homework. Of all the young surfers out there, she’s the least likely to need a backup plan. You would probably assume she surfs all day, every day, and (maybe) finds time to squeeze in a few home school lessons here and there. But Carissa is a tenth grader at Punahou, one of O‘ahu’s most rigorous preparatory schools. “I think that going to school has helped me to stay focused,” she says. “You have deadlines you have to meet. I don’t think it’s hurt my surfing at all. Sometimes it gets frustrating when I have a lot of homework, but it’s not that bad.” Her father agrees and thinks focusing on school has helped her in the water. “I think a lot of kids who get to hang out at the beach all day start taking it for granted,” he says. “Carissa needs to focus for the two hour go-outs she gets after school, so she does.” The emphasis the Moores place on education may benefit Carissa’s surfing in other ways, namely relieving the potential pressure that comes from having such high expectations placed on her. “I really want to do well,” Carissa says, insisting she only feels her personal expectations pressuring her. “That’s where most of the pressure comes from. When I don’t do well I get really frustrated. I’ll cry sometimes. It’s a bummer, but you just have to take your losses and try to learn from them and have it help you push yourself to do better.” It’s that mature and focused attitude, paired with natural talent that has made Carissa the inarguable leader of the next generation’s lady rippers. Her peers love and respect her as much as they dread seeing her name next to theirs on a heat sheet. While Carissa humbly looks up to her peers, the reality is that not all of them will realize their dreams of going pro. It’s a sport growing more competitive each year, and even the hottest groms face premature burnout. Carissa Moore isn’t going to be one of those people. She sighs happily when describing the perfect wave (“a 3- to 4-foot right point break with sand bottom that’s peeling forever”), and it’s evident she truly loves the sport. She’s adopted the most humble and appreciative attitude towards surfing, which, when paired with her talent, multi-dimensional focus and egoless personality, is prophecy of a long-lasting career in surfing. “It’s every surfer’s dream to be world champ one day,” she says. “It’d be cool if it works out, if it doesn’t, it’s alright, too. I’ll always love surfing. I’ll continue to surf with my family.” ‘Rissa, we think it’s going to work out. [PAU]
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