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Carissa Moore Accents Every Ride with Pride
By Alyssa Navares
Being only two national titles away from beating the current National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) record of seven, held by 23 year old Bobby Martinez of California, 12-year-old Carissa Moore has a reason to smile.
In June, Carissa captured three more national titles at the week-long NSSA Nationals in San Clemente, California. She won the open women, explorer girls, and middle school girls divisions for two consecutive years. The current record holder for this prestigious competition is Martinez.
“I think she might beat the record next year,” said Quiksilver manager, Donald Pahia, who works with Carissa on maneuvers and wave selection prior to her heats. His faith in Carissa is well-supported by the records she set last year for being the youngest surfer to advance to the finals of an Association of Surfing Professionals contest and to compete in the Triple Crown.
“I was really excited [to have set those records] but just really cared about having fun and doing my best,” said Carissa, who is sponsored by Roxy, Jamba Juice, Nezzy, and Sticky Bumps.
At the age of four, this Aina Haina youngster could already stand up on a surfboard by herself with minimal instruction from her father, Chris. “She had good balance and a knack for it,” said Chris, who never coached someone in surfing before. Not only did surfing strengthen the bond between father and daughter, but it also allowed Chris to “pass something on to her that [he] liked to do.” In order to prepare for contests, Carissa sits on the beach with her father to discuss the waves and her approach. “I love having my dad as my coach!” said Carissa, who tries to hit the water at least five times a week with her father.
According to Donald, Carissa's ability to adjust to different levels of competition plays an active role in her wave riding success. “She can always get the ride she needs to win, which is rare for someone her age,” he said. Her father noticed her potential in surfing from the very beginning as she has an “innate sense of movement that you just can't teach.” Carissa's style and fundamentals of surfing has always set her apart from other amateur surfers, raising the bar of skill as she gets older every year.
"When she catches a wave, she adds flare to the ride and a little more accent,” said Donald. “She will get a wave and hit it harder each time.”
Just as wave selection is key to a contest, contest selection is key to Carissa's career in surfing, according to Chris. “We [sponsors and Chris] usually look for breaks that will suit her style,” he said, referring to Carissa's preference to frontside rides. “I don't want her to burn out.” As the Quiksilver manager, Donald admits to seeing young surfers lose interest in the sport because they are overworked. “It's important to meter yourself, taking it a bit at a time,” he said. “Surfing cannot be the only part of your life.”
Despite her busy surfing schedule, Carissa meters herself by balancing surfing with school. She just completed the seventh grade at Punahou, where she earned A's and B's, even after traveling to contests during parts of the year. Chris always makes sure that her homework is done before she goes surfing. At Punahou, Carissa participates in the school choir and already took two years of Japanese. She has even taken a liking to digital photography.
“It would be cool if my school had a surf team,” she said. “I would probably join.”
In addition to becoming a professional surfer, Carissa also wants to become a graphic artist like her parents, who own their own company.
Even though she already competes in the Roxy Pro twice a year, both she and her father are not in a rush for her to become a professional surfer. They will probably discuss that issue once Carissa turns eighteen years old.
Following closely behind Carissa is Cayla, Carissa's younger sister. At eight years old, Cayla already started surfing and often competes alongside her stepsister, Kelly. “I like to cheer Cayla on when we're surfing,” said Carissa, who also helps her father teach Cayla. Carissa jokingly said that she “teaches Cayla to be a nice girl, even though she doesn't listen (to Carissa).”
The explosion of girl surfers in waters around the world has everyone's heads turning. “The competition at home is even growing,” said Donald, who refers to young surfers like Coco Ho and Malia Manuel. “They push each other to better themselves and their maneuvers.”
Many young surfers look up to Carissa, including her closest friends. “Her surfing style and mine are incomparable,” said 16-year-old Oleema Miller, who surfed with Carissa for the past three years. “She is beautiful, both inside and out. Carissa's genuinely the nicest person I know.”
