Carissa Moore, reigning world surfing champion and four-time title winner, defeated fellow Hawaii pro surfer Malia Manuel to advance Monday to the semifinals of the World Surf League’s Maui Women’s Pro at Honolua Bay, on a day blessed with overhead waves and sunny, nearly windless conditions.
The event was set to continue Tuesday morning but was called off after a shark bit a recreational surfer in the bay before the competition was to open at 10 a.m.
The surfer, a 56-year-old man from Lahaina, encountered the shark as he was paddling out from the old ramp in the bay, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a news release. The man was taken to a hospital and admitted for surgery.
Water clarity was good at the time of the incident, DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement reported. Shark warning signs were posted for 1 mile to either side of the bay, from DT Fleming Beach Park to Punalau Beach, also known as Windmills.
In a video announcement on WSL’s website, CEO Erik Logan said the contest had been put on hold indefinitely.
Meanwhile, surfing fans could reflect on the exciting and inspirational first day in the kickoff event for the 2021 women’s world championship tour, during which two-time world champ Tyler Wright became the first professional surfer to compete displaying a Progress Pride flag, honoring people of color and trans individuals, on her jersey.
Wright, who also advanced to the semifinals Monday after defeating seven-time world champ and fellow Australian Stephanie Gilmore, scored a perfect 10 for a tube ride followed by several soaring turns and hacks. Moore is the only other surfer to have scored a perfect 10 in the Honolua Bay event, which she has done twice, in 2015 and 2018.
Australian Sally Fitzgibbons outscored American Lakey Peterson to make the semifinals, and in the remaining quarterfinal heat American Sage Erickson will take on Kauai-raised Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb.
World No. 2 Caroline Marks, Moore’s teammate on the first U.S. Olympic surf team and at 18 the youngest surfer on the women’s pro tour, failed to advance.
Another youngster, Hawaii’s Bettylou Sakura Johnson, 15, snagged some high scores as a wild-card entrant in the Maui Pro but was eliminated by Moore.
Following standard protocol after a shark incident, warning signs will remain in place until at least noon today, when Maui County and state personnel will meet to determine whether there is any further shark presence, DLNR said, adding it was unknown whether others were in the water.
“Based on my initial briefing, the victim was already on shore and aid was being rendered when our personnel arrived on scene,” Ryan Yatsushiro, public information officer for the Maui County Fire Department, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an email.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this victim,” WSL’s Logan said.
The Maui Women’s Pro by Roxy holding period continues through Dec. 15.
