Get to Know Professional Surfer Carissa Moore

Oʻahu native Carissa Moore is the first-ever winner of the Olympic Gold Medal in women's surfing in 2020. She's also clenched an impressive 5 world titles.

In 2021 Carissa Moore clinched her fifth World Surf League championship and a few months later became the first female to win an Olympic gold medal in surfing. And now the world can read all about it—and much more—in her new book, “Hawai‘i Gold: A Celebration of Surfing.”

It’s a remarkable tribute to the sport’s legacy in the Islands.   

“I wouldn’t be who I am today, as a woman and as an athlete, without the community, the waves, the people, the place where I was raised. That’s what the book is about: celebrating this place,” Moore says.  

Anyone who meets Moore immediately feels her warmth and bright spirit. She learned to surf in Waikīkī and grew up amid the waves off O‘ahu’s south shores. Today, her appreciation for the Islands and her community runs deep. Moore geared up and represented Hawaiʻi and the U.S. in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, as she also released her new book.

READ MORE: World Surfing Champ and Olympian Carissa Moore Writes Her Own Book of Gold

Released this April, “Hawai‘i Gold” is a compilation of enthralling tales and breathtaking photography. Through its pages, Moore chronicles the ways in which the waves and the local community have shaped her own story. With beautiful images and vivid anecdotes from Moore, her family members and fellow Hawai‘i surfers, readers get a glimpse into the close-knit communities bonded by the waves.   

What inspired you to write a book?   

I’ve always wanted to write a book at some point but to make it all about me; that’s not who I am. I wanted to use this moment to celebrate Hawai‘i and celebrate the people that have put surfing in Hawai‘i on the map.  

I also love to scrapbook. I love photos and I love things that are tangible. So, it’s really cool to be able to put a book together of all the images that tell the story of home and things that are most important to me.  

Surfing has become a cultural phenomenon around the world. Being Native Hawaiian, how important is it to share the origins of surfing?   

I think it’s often forgotten that surfing started in Hawai‘i and it’s Hawai‘i’s sport. Going through the Olympic process, I’ve found so much more pride for where I’ve come from, my culture, and all the people that came before me and paved the way—including Duke Kahanamoku. I find it so important to share surfing’s history. There’s something about learning, paying respect and acknowledging where we come from and all the people that have come before. We have to learn from them to go forward.   

How did you train for the 2024 Olympic Games?   

I feel like the best training for surfing is surfing and spending time in the water. But I have a trainer that I work with about three times a week when I’m home and I’ll go for runs or do yoga or Pilates. I love being active, so I do something everyday.   

This year looked a lot different because I’m stepped back from competing full time on the WSL Championship Tour. Leading up to Tahiti [the site of the surfing portion of the Summer Games in May], I knew it was going to be different since I wasn’t traveling the world in the lead up.   

The wave is also so different from the wave at the last Olympics in Japan. Teahupo‘o is a big, powerful, left-hand reef break. It’s super intimidating. 

From your incredible career, what competitions really stand out?  

I’m really proud of winning the Olympics and my fifth world title in the same year; it was super rewarding. It wasn’t just about the results but the accumulation of the process and personal growth that got me there. I overcame a lot of mental hurdles.   

I’m also really proud of a barrel I got at the Vans Pipe Masters [in 2022]. It was one of those moments where I was like I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m super scared but I went anyway and I surprised myself and got one of the best waves of my life. I didn’t win the contest but that moment was really cool.   

At recent WSL competitions, women’s heats have dominated the news. What are your predictions for women’s surfing at the professional level?   

I’m so excited to see where women’s surfing will go in five to 10 years. It’s been tremendous to see the growth, the evolution and the progression while being a part of it the last 14 years on the competitive side. When I first started, I was often the only girl in the water. Now, there’s sometimes more women than men. What’s so interesting is that the progression recently has been so rapid for women and it’s super inspiring.   

What led you to create your foundation Moore Aloha?   

I started Moore Aloha in 2018 when I was actually in a competitive slump. I was struggling to find motivation, joy and happiness in what I was doing. I felt like I was just going through the motions and didn’t feel driven with purpose and passion. So, my dad encouraged me to be of service to others.   

When I was growing up a young female in this sport, there weren’t as many opportunities. Moore Aloha was born because I wanted to create more opportunities for girls to get in the water, to step outside of their comfort zone, and to also have a safe space to be vulnerable and share their stories.   

I hope through the experiences we provide—the events, programs and monthly prompts—the girls are able to become a little more conscious and leave with at least one thing that inspires or empowers them. 

To purchase “Hawai‘i Gold” online, visit rizzoliusa.com/buy-online. To learn more about Moore Aloha, visit moorealoha.com.  

This story was edited for clarity and length. 

This story was originally published in our Summer 2024 issue, which you can buy here. Better yet, subscribe and get HAWAIʻI Magazine delivered to right to your mailbox.