Boys Beware: Carissa Moore Surfs Better Than You (And Looks Better Doing It)

Posted on July 18th, 2011 by Samantha Rupert

CarissaMoore150711 BonnarmeAquashot 9271 21 Boys Beware: Carissa Moore Surfs Better Than You (And Looks Better Doing It)

The ASP crowned a new World Title champion on Friday as Carissa Moore (HAW) battled her way into the final against Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), solidifying her world title win, making her the youngest title champion in ASP history.

Ok, so Moore didn’t win the actual contest (I guess now would be the proper time to congratulate Steph Gilmore for that), but who cares? That’s not the story here. Gilmore already has four titles under her belt.

However, Moore just won her first world title at the barely-ripe age of 18. To put that into perspective, Kelly Slater only won his first world title at 20. Beat that!

It’s only her second year competing in the big leagues among the world’s best surfers. She hasn’t taken it lightly. “I have had this goal written on my door and it has been waiting there for a long time to be ticked off so I can’t wait to go home and cross it out,” Moore said in an ASP International interview.

So far this year, she’s made the finals in each stop on the world tour and managed to win three major events: Roxy Pro Gold Coast, Commonwealth Bank Beachley Classic and the Billabong Pro Rio.

Still, for an 18-year-old, Moore has a pretty decorated trophy case. She’s procured 11 NSSA titles (her first when she was 11), dominated the boys division in the Rip Curl Grom Search contest in 2007 and left haters dumbfounded again two months later at the Quiksilver King of the Groms competition.

In the WQS, Moore scored a perfect 10 in yet another men’s competition in 2009- the No Fear Mexican Surf Fiesta. No, the judges didn’t go easy on her. She’s just, well… better.

There’s a first time for everything and the Nike-mistress Moore is no stranger to that concept. In August of last year, she won the biggest purse ever in women’s surfing history – a whopping $50,000. It might not be the big $1 million slated for the men’s Quiksilver Pro New York check, but it’s a hell of a lot more money than most of you make in a year.

Within the span of 7 years, Moore has grown from a tiny Gidget-worshiping grom to a female powerhouse of surf talent that can slice up any wave she’s given.

Hopefully the ASP will continue to recognize this progression of not only Moore, an 18-year-old just starting her promising professional surf career, but the other slew of immensely talented girls that are quickly progressing and changing the way people think about female surfers.

“I have been thinking about this for a long time since I was a little girl and just to be here right now and being world champ is pretty crazy,” Moore said in the ASP International interview.

Congratulations Carissa Moore on your first ASP World Title and good luck at the Nike US Open of Surfing!

Take a look at Surfing Magazine’s timeline of Carissa Moore’s incredible accomplishments to learn more about why she’s more bad-ass than you.

And watch this video. When you’re done, maybe you should ask yourself, are you good enough to surf Jaws? I’m sorry not only surf it, but rip it up? Probably not. But Carissa Moore is. Check it out here.

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