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The $100,000 purse is on the line, and the 18 beginning competitors of the Women's U.S. Open of Surfing have become the 12, heading into the next heat.

Among the final 12 was 2009 Women's champ Courtney Conlogue of Santa Ana, who won the first heat of the competition. Reigning Women's champ Carissa Moore of Hawaii, who last month wrapped up the 2011 Assn. of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women's World Title, also was still in the running as of Wednesday.

The Women's semifinals and finals heats are Sunday.

The other 10 finalists in the running for the Women's title were 2007 U.S.

Open Women's champ Stephanie Gilmore (Australia), 2006 winner Sofia Mulanovich (Peru), Tyler Wright (USA), Silvana Lima (Brazil), Lakey Peterson (USA), Sally Fitzgibbons (Australia), Laura Enever (Australia), Melanie Bartels (Hawaii), 2008 Pro Junior Women's winner Coco Ho (Hawaii) and Rebecca Woods (Australia).

Duke Kahanamoku was the original waterman and he father of international surfing. His legend is spread through his involvement in surfing, swimming, and his ability to showcase the Aloha spirit at it's best. The Olympian was a youthful reminder of the things that people born and raised in Hawaii are capable of. Duke himself, was born and raised in Honolulu. His love for the water was apparent in his passion for sharing it, and competing.

The week of August 21-28 will not only be an ocean sport packed celebration in Duke's honor, but also in honor of some of the other local legends of the water. The 2011 Hawaii Waterman Hall of Fame will be inducting a new class into it's ranks on the evening of August 21st. Among the new inductees are local female legends such as Ethel Kukea, Dominator of women's surfing in Hawaii during the 1950s, and Aileen Soule, a swimmer and diver who, at age 14, won a gold medal in the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium.

The event schedule is as follows:

On Aug. 24th, Duke's Birthday, after the 7am Lei ceremony, the Toes on the Nose longboard classic, tandem surfing and "legends contest," all begin and continue through Fri., Aug. 26.

The Hawaii Paddleboard Championships and Duke's Waikiki Ocean Mile Swim are set for Sat., Aug. 27. The 10-mile paddleboard race will begin at 11 a.m. in Maunalua Bay, near Hawaii Kai. The swim race begins at 9 a.m. , starts and wraps up on Waikiki Beach.

Stay locked in to WahineSportsNetwork.com for more updates

Eddie King - Wahine Sports Network

No one was going to stand between Carissa Moore and her world title Friday at the Roxy Pro Biarritz.

Hawaiian surfer Carissa Moore, 18, set new records at the Roxy Pro Biarritz in becoming the youngest ever ASP World Champion, beating Sally Fitzgibbons en route to facing Stephanie Gilmore in the final in Biarritz, France.

With her first world title under her belt, Carissa then faced four-time champion Stephanie Gilmore in the final, leading for 15 minutes but her consistency, technique and mental strength weren't quite enough to carry her all the way to glory as the Australian took the win by 1.77 points.

“It’s been a great event and I was just smiling during the whole final,” an ecstatic Moore said. “It’s probably the heat I’ve spoken about the most in my career and we were just enjoying our time out there with Stephanie. The waves were fun and I am just super stoked to be here in Biarritz.”

'Just to be here right now

and being world champ

is pretty crazy'

Carissa Moore

Surfing a sixth final in six events, another one for the ASP record books, Moore is also the first Hawaiian to win a world title since Margo Oberg in 1981.

“It feels amazing to make all these finals and win the title,” Moore said. “I've been thinking about this since I was a little girl. Just to be here right now and being world champ is pretty crazy, and Roxy put-up a great event. I dreamed of surfing at this level my whole life since I was a little kid and I don’t think you can ever expect or anticipate the feeling."

Carissa Moore becomes ASP world champion ©ASP/Bonnarme

Moore clinched the title by edging out her last remaining rival for the crown, Sally Fitzgibbons, in their semi-final bout. Clarissa then progressed to a final showdown with last year’s world champion Stephanie Gilmore but the four-time ASP champion was too strong on the day.

“Today was unbelievable because so much has gone down,” said Gilmore. “In my perfect world somebody would be crowned world champ and I would take the win and that is what I dreamt about. It feels so good. I missed it so much this year. I am so happy right now.”

The Australian also sang the praises of the new world champion. “It feels good to beat her and she has definitely raised the bar for all the girls this year. She is definitely the strongest of everyone this whole year and she has been in every single final and that is a new record. To beat the freshly crowned world champ is pretty cool.”

It was also a strong year for the runner-up, Sally Fitzgibbons. “It’s been a fantastic year, I’ve enjoyed the highs and lows but it’s a bit devastating to lose the world title,” said Fitzgibbons. “I am stoked to see my good friend Carissa win the title and it was a great finish to see Stephanie take down the event win. There is still another event and I’ll try and finish there with a strong result.”

Source: RedBull

Source: Herald Sun

Photographer: Bastien Bonarme

As winter begins on the north shore there is one sporting event everyone starts looking forward to; the surf season. During the winter months the north shore becomes an international haven for surf junkies; whether it's professionals or camera toting spectators. Beaches become packed with not just the average beach goer, but also lines of photographers with their high power camera's and telephoto lenses, and line ups in the water that seem endless as dozens compete for waves and the chance to show off their skills. Trying to get anywhere by car or bus becomes an endless traffic jam as people cross the roads and drivers slow down for the views. Yet even in the chaos there is tranquility, and the north shore takes on a new beauty with the change in the season.

For stats from this year's event go to: http://northshoremenehunesurfcontest.com/

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