Carissa Moore Extends Lead Atop Surfing Rankings With Runner-Up Finish In Indonesia

Carissa Moore celebrates after winning the Rip Curl WSL Finals on Sept. 14, 2021 in San Clemente, Cali.

Carissa Moore reached the final round of a World Surf League Championship Tour event for the third time this season, and for the third time finished as runner-up.
Moore, a five-time world champion who won the first Olympic gold medal in the sport last summer in Tokyo, went toe-to-toe with France’s Johanne Defay but ultimately fell just short as the Roxy Pro G-Land wrapped up Saturday in Indonesia.
Moore, who competes under the flag of her native Hawaii in WSL competition, posted a two-wave best score of 13.33 in the final, while Defay scored 14.00.
In six Championship Tour events so far this season, Moore has never finished lower than ninth and is ranked No. 1. She is the two-time defending champion.
Moore opened the competition on May 27 by finishing atop her three-person heat. She then won two elimination rounds to reach the final against Defay, who had finished fifth in all five tour stops so far this season.
Defay got off to a strong start, scoring 6.50 on her first wave and 7.50 on her third. That gave her a 14 to 2.17 lead. Moore charged back in the final two waves, scoring 4.83 and a massive 8.50, but it wasn’t quite enough to catch Defay.
Fellow American Lakey Peterson advanced to the quarterfinals. The men’s Quiksilver Pro G-Land also wrapped up Saturday in Indonesia. Griffin Colapinto was the top U.S. surfer, reaching the quarterfinals.
The Women’s Championship Tour continues with the Surf City El Salvador Pro starting June 12.