Moore ends 2018 season in style

Honolulu’s Carissa Moore ended 2018 on a super high note, and Billy Kemper of Haiku, Maui, mastered Jaws for the third time Tuesday.

Moore topped Malia Manuel in the final of the Beachwaver Maui Pro at Honolua Bay. Kemper was the last man standing in the Jaws Challenge at Pe‘ahi.

For Moore, a three-time world champion, it was the 20th championship tour event victory of her career and it was also her third victory at Honolua Bay, which is the final tour stop of the year.

“It’s so special,” Moore said. “My whole family came over and the waves were perfect. Probably the best competitive day I’ve had in my life, and just to finish off the season like that is so good. I’m so in love with everything in my life right now. My support crew, surfing and I’m so grateful for the WSL. I’m speechless right now.”

Moore started out in the final against Manuel, who hails from Wailua, Kauai, with an 8.67 and added a 10.00 for her final scoring wave of 2018. She finished at No. 3 in the rankings and will be back again in 2019 to try for a fourth world crown.

“It was a dream come true to get a 10,” Moore said. “There was so much emotion at that point. I just started crying and I can’t thank the locals enough for letting us surf your beautiful wave. I’ll definitely take some time off to soak it in. Nothing beats winning in the ocean in perfect surf. I’m excited for next year.”

Manuel finished runner-up for the second consecutive year, after blitzing through her quarterfinal against Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons and eliminating the newly crowned world champ Stephanie Gilmore of Australia in the semifinals. Manuel finished ninth in the rankings to requalify for the championship tour.

Across the Valley Isle on Tuesday, Kemper captured the Jaws Challenge — one of three stops on the WSL’s Big Wave Tour — for the third time in his career in 30-foot-plus wave faces. The event started Monday, when wave faces got up to 50 feet and conditions became unmanageable and continued Tuesday. Kemper defeated Kai Lenny of Paia, Maui, in the final.

“This is for my mom,” Kemper said. “If you’re looking down on me right now, this one’s for you.”

Kemper scored 23.84 out of a possible 30 in the final.

“I put everything into this year and I was second-guessing if I’d be able to surf again by the end of the year,” said Kemper, who suffered serious shoulder and hip injuries a little more than a month ago. “My team got me back here and this is for us.”