The world’s best female surfers return to Honolua Bay tomorrow for The Target Maui Pro for the first time since 2009. However, the final stop on the 2014 ASP Women’s World Championship Tour could not have been possible had it not been for Target stepping up to the plate to sponsor the event. 2014 has been a very exciting year for women’s surfing. With incredible venues such as Fiji and Trestles being added to the Women’s World Tour, Honolua Bay in Maui will certainly be the grand finale to the amazing firework show that took place over the course of the past 11 months. We sat down with Target team rider, Hawaiian local, and two-time World Champion, Carissa Moore, to see what exactly these revolutionary changes mean to her.
“This is a huge deal for me,” Carissa commented. “I am beyond excited that Target decided to step up and sponsor the event for the women in Hawaii. We haven’t had an event here in 5 years, so to have someone in my family of sponsors step up is absolutely incredible and I am so thankful. Also it’s going to be super rad to have someone crowned [WCT champion] in Hawaii.” Although Carissa doesn’t have a shot at the title, Honolua Bay will be an especially important event to her for several reasons. First, being able to surf with 1-2 other people out, in one of the best waves in the world, is a victory of its own. In addition to the fact that one of her primary sponsors is making the event possible, having an event in Hawaii is especially exciting because it is so close to home. “My friends and family will be there and I don’t usually get to perform in front of them.”
Silvana Lima, Maui Pro 2009. Photo: ASP
Secondly, the conditions at Honolua Bay fit Carissa’s style of surfing quite well and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her taking the victory. “Honolua Bay is by far one of the best waves in the whole world,” explained Carissa. “It’s a beautiful, perfect point break that barrels on the take off and then it enables you to do some powerful carving turns. It’s a powerful and challenging wave and I like that.”
Target sponsoring the event is not only important to Carissa Moore, but it’s also important to women’s surfing in general. It goes without saying that the girls are ripping. Ripping harder and charging harder than most. If you disagree, you are just being dishonest with yourself. The caliber of women’s surfing has progressed so much; it’s unbelievable. I, for one, am extremely impressed and inspired by them. There are a lot of skeptics in the surfing community who feel big business in surfing is taking away from the true, rootsy spirit of surfing. Wherever you stand on this issue, you cannot deny the good Target is providing for women’s surfing. For the simple fact that the sponsorship is going to facilitate and showcase that immense talent to the world in one of the best point breaks is a win for women’s surfing.
To see it all unfold, visit ASPWorldTour.com where it will be streaming live November 22- December 6.
