Five-time world champion Carissa Moore’s attempt at a second consecutive gold medal ended under the afternoon sun in the quarterfinals of the women’s surfing event at the Paris Olympics early Friday in Teahupo’o, Tahiti.
The Punahou alumna had her competition come to an end when she struggled to find the right wave in a loss to France’s Johanne Defay.
Defay caught two solid waves early in the heat, scoring a 5.67 in the first four minutes and adding a second wave scored at 4.67 to finish at 10.34.
Moore’s two best wave scores were a 3.50 and 3.00 as she tried to stay patient, but ultimately took on two waves that never materialized to her liking.
Defay went after a wave while holding priority with four minutes remaining in the heat, but wiped out, allowing Moore to have her pick of one more wave.
A wave came in the final 10 seconds that Moore tried to barrel, but it closed out too quick, sending Defay into the semifinals.
Moore, who won the first-ever surfing contest held at the Olympics in 2021 in Tokyo, has previously stated she would step away from professional surfing after this event to start a family.
Defay advances to take on Caroline Marks of the United States in one of the two semifinal heats.
Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, who hails from Kauai, moved on to the semifinals with a score of 8.10 to defeat Spain’s Nadia Erostarbe, who finished with a 6.34 score on her two best waves combined.
Weston-Webb will surf against Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy, who moved to Hawaii from her home country when she was 9 years old, for a spot in the gold medal final.
Hennessy held off Brazil’s Luana Silva, a Waialua resident, in the semifinals by a score of 6.37 to 5.47.
Previously
Moore advanced to the quarterfinals of the women’s surfing event, knocking out South Africa’s Sarah Baum in the third round.
Moore advanced with wave scores of 4.33 and 3.83 to finish with a score of 8.16 in less-than-ideal conditions.
Moore is the defending Olympic gold medalist after winning the event in Tokyo.
She is expected to retire from professional surfing at the conclusion of the Olympics.