“Would Mean So Much”: Carissa Moore Opens Up Why She’s Returning to Surfing at Tahiti Pro 2024

As the waves ebb and flow, so does Carissa Moore’s career trajectory. She had recently announced her untimely retirement from pro surfing but has decided to be back with a flourish, a breath of fresh air permeating Tahiti and our lives. A pioneer in women’s surfing, she also holds an impressive 11 titles at NSSA. She decided to call it a day after making up her mind on starting a family with her husband Luke Untermann. Despite this, her legacy has remained unmatched and is expected to stay that way for a long time. She’s having anything but a sleepy retirement and with this new news of her return, fans are vying to see more of her on her surfboard maneuvering the waves with finesse.

However, this year, she is making headlines with her highly anticipated return to competitive surfing at the Tahiti Pro 2024. After some time away to reflect and recharge, Carissa Moore has chosen the iconic waves of Tahiti for her surfing comeback. A renewed passion for surfing and a deep connection to the ocean are driving her return. Recently Moore expresses her happiness about returning to surfing, promising fresh excitement and inspiration for the sport. 

Carissa Moore aka Aquawoman has the seas of Tahiti beckoning her name

In a recent reel on Instagram, Sports Director Rob DeMello KHON shared an interview with Carissa Moore with the caption, “’I guess you could say it’s beautiful, but it’s also a beast’ – Five months after announcing indefinite break from competition on championship tour, #Hawaii’s Carissa Moore accepts wildcard in Tahiti Pro as tune-up for Olympics at ‘terrifying’ Teahupo’o”. She talked about returning to the surfing scene in 2024, especially with the Tahiti Pros.

Moore said, “It would mean a lot to win this event,” adding that the last two years, “I didn’t really feel I clicked into gear. It would mean so much to have it all fall into place.” It would give her a “lot of confidence going into the Olympics”. Moore is gearing up to compete for the last time at the Pipe Pro and the 2024 Paris Olympics. Before the start of the 2023 season, Carissa had bowed out during the Tahiti Pros. She explained that the decision did not fully register with her until the end of the tour. She also clarified how it was not her loss at the 2023 WSL Finals at Lowers Trestles that led to her retirement. 

This year she is also a wildcard entry at the Tahiti Pros this month. This is an important stepping stone towards the Olympics. ​She emphasized on her biggest challenge which is to tame the waves at Teahupo’o, the venue for the 2024 Olympic surfing competition. She said, “In my head, the thing that I need the most to allow myself the best chance of success at the Olympics at the end of the year is to really just get comfortable at that wave”. At the ISA World Surfing Games in February, she said, “My goal is to try to spend more time being uncomfortable at that wave and surfing all types of conditions”. She is currently training hard for the Olympic run. 

Carissa Moore excited about future Tahiti Pros and its undulating blue waves

Moore is looking forward to the Pros but is also a little apprehensive. She said that the Teahupo’o where the Tahiti Pros will take place is dangerous, adding, that the water goes from, “really deep to shallow reef” She continued stating it involves a “lot of risk,” however, “there is a possibility of getting one of the best wave of your life.” After her injury, Moore took a break to focus on healing and recovery. However, she is now back and stronger than before. The surfing community sorely felt her absence, but she made use of her retirement time to expand her horizons, write a book, give back to her surfing community via her organization, etc so on and so forth.

Moore’s return to the sea has made the 2024 Tahiti Pro competition highly anticipated. Moore has also been vocal about how the Tahiti waves were intimidating when she first started out as a high school graduate, saying, “I was so out of my league. I had never surfed a wave like that ever in my life and was scared out of my pants.” She later added that the waves that are the most scary are the ones that are the best.

This year, Moore is eager to defend her title at the Olympics. However she acknowledged that it will be hard as there is no guarantee for success. Stating, “I know it’s asking a lot from the universe for it to have it happen again, but I believe I’m going to give it my best shot.” The Tahiti Pros will be an important litmus test on whether Moore will be able to return and a preview of what tricks she has got up her sleeves this year.