Moore Edges Out Caroline Marks to take the Cape – Coco Ho and Malia Manuel Tie for Third

Record-Breaking Crowds Packed the Iconic Oceanside Pier to Watch All the Action and Entertainment as the 12th Annual Supergirl Pro Wraps

Oceanside CA— Hawaiian Carissa Moore bested an incredibly deep field of top-ranked competitors to top the Paul Mitchell Supergirl Pro podium for the first time ever, earning first place and the coveted contest cape. Moore took the clean, inconsistent two-to-three foot swell in brilliant fashion to overcome 16-year-old phenom, Caroline Marks (USA), in the gritty finals bout. After six attempts at the prized cape, Moore took first, Marks came in a close second, and Supergirl Pro podium vets, Coco Ho (HAW) and Malia Manuel (HAW), came in third.
“I’m so excited to have my first cape!” Moore said. “I had a great time competing in front of the crowd and the energy was great. This is such a great win, which I haven’t been able to get all season, so winning this one is huge for my confidence! I don’t think winning can ever get old, especially because this win, and this cape, is brand new for me.”
The highly anticipated Final kept spectators anxiously awaiting the opening exchange, and it was fireworks from the beginning. Moore opened up with her signature power surfing and earned an outstanding 7.67 (out of a possible 10) to start, which Marks nearly matched with a 7.00 of her own. But, the Hawaiian added a 6.17 and put the pressure on. Marks came close with a 6.10, but needed a 6.85 to steal the victory from Moore.
Moore showed her veteran experience throughout the day, taking down fellow CT competitors Bronte Macaulay (AUS) in Round 5, Johanne Defay (FRA) in the Quarterfinals and, one of Supergirl Pro’s most consistent competitors, Malia Manuel (HAW), in the Semifinals.
Marks’ Final appearance continues a 2018 season that is the best in QS history — already amounting 22,200 points. Blasting through finals day with incredible performances over Alessa Quizon (HAW) in Round 5 and Dimity Stoyle (AUS) in the Quarterfinals, Marks then faced a heavyweight bout with former Supergirl Pro winner Coco Ho (HAW) before the Final.
“I have an amazing family behind me, and I’m just having fun,” Marks said. “That’s been the most important thing. I was really close in that heat, but sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t, and I was really happy with the way I surfed so I’ll carry that confidence into the rest of the season.”
“To have a heat with Carissa is great, She’s one of my idols, and now I’m trying to beat her, which is crazy,” Marks added. “This whole event’s been so much fun and she’s an incredible surfer to compete against.”
Nearly all the pieces fell together for Ho, a three-time Supergirl champion, to capture yet another Supergirl cape. A strong start in her Semifinal match was met by an overpowering, in-form, Marks who eventually took the win. Ho’s impressive run started with a massive win over current CT No. 2 Lakey Peterson (USA) in Round 5 before taking on one of the QS’s top threats Philippa Anderson (AUS). Now, the North Shore, Oahu, native is ready to keep the momentum going as she now sits at No. 2 on the QS rankings.
“To compete against someone like Caroline is exciting, I’m just happy to be a part of this event, and I am grateful to have made it to the semifinals,” Ho said. “This was a heavy contest with so many of the top pros. Being in the water with amazing women like Lakey [Peterson] and Steph [Gilmore] made everyone surf even harder — it makes a third-place feel that much better.”
Manuel’s track record at the Supergirl Pro is one of the event’s finest alongside Ho, earning a finals day appearance every year she’s competed — with win in 2013. It was an all-Hawaiian battle as Manuel and Moore went wave-for-wave in a tight Semifinal bout, with Manuel finding herself on the wrong side of a .23 difference. But, the Kauai, Hawaii, native put together a brilliant run to her day that included big wins over fellow Hawaii surfer Brisa Hennessy (HAW) and upcoming talent Mahina Maeda (JPN).
“It’s funny to be reminded of how many Finals I’ve made here — which I think plays into being so consistent out here,” Manuel said. “It was nice to get that Semifinal, even though the Final and another cape would’ve been great.”
BEYOND THE SURF: NISSAN CONCERT SERIES, SUPERGIRL GAMER PRO AND MORE
The weekend was packed with action in and out of the water, including live performances by Madison Beer, Drake Bell and Cody Simpson, a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) exhibition esports tournament with the top-ranked female professional gamers like Stephanie “missharvey” Harvey at Supergirl Gamer Pro, and even a car giveaway with Nissan awarding a Super Fan with a brand-new 2018 Nissan Kicks crossover.
U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Jeannie Leavitt, the first female combat fighter pilot, was an inspiration to the young audience as she participated in the Female Empowerment Panel and then conducted the Oath of Enlistment, officially swearing in 25 young men and women into the Air Force. General Leavitt also proudly presented Moore with her cape at the awards ceremony.
For more detailed information on the Paul Mitchell Supergirl Pro, please visit www.supergirlpro.com