HALEIWA, Hawaii — Carissa Moore made the most of a fresh start at home.

Moore, who fell just short in her bid for a sixth world championship in September, began the World Surf League’s 2023 Championship Tour season with her first victory at the Billabong Pro Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore on Wednesday.

The Hawaii native defeated Australian Tyler Wright 11.00 to 10.00 in 1-4 foot waves, hitting a 7.17 on one wave and 3.83 on another among five attempts. Wright had a pair of 5.00 waves in eight attempts.

Moore thanked her family, support crew and sponsors.

It was quite the turnaround for the Punahou School graduate, who, leading up to Pipeline, told the WSL of her 2022 finals loss to Stephanie Gilmore, “I lost the world title after being in the lead all year. … Going in the frontrunner, and then I got the rug swept from underneath me. It took me a solid month to get over that one.”

To begin Wednesday, Moore defeated Hawaii’s 17-year-old up-and-comer Bettylou Sakura Johnson in the semifinals, 12.17 to 6.67, then met Wright in the final of the 18-person women’s field.

Wright, the 2020 Pipeline winner, was attempting to become the first two-time women’s champ there.

Moore told the WSL before the tournament, “There’s no place better in the world than being at home, especially home in Hawaii. To have our first two Championship Tour events on home turf is pretty cool.”

Australian Jack Robinson beat Italy’s Leonardo Fioravanti, 9.17 to 7.47 for the men’s Pipeline championship.

Up next is the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach with a window of Feb. 12 to 23.

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.