HALEIWA, Hawaii — For the first time since 2010, the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach opens at the epic, scene-stealing break on the North Shore. The last contest was in 2010, which Australian Tyler Wright won, and this will mark the last stop in Hawaii for the World Surf League 2022 Championship Tour before it continues on to Peniche, Portugal, for the MEO Pro Portugal surf competition for its third stop.
All eyes are on Moana Jones Wong, Carissa Moore, Kelly Slater and Seth Moniz.
Perhaps the most anticipated event is Moore (now sitting at World No. 2) going up against newcomer Jones Wong, who blew all expectations out of the water by winning Sunday’s Billabong Pipeline Pro, for another chance to redeem herself.
With her historic win, fireball Jones Wong sits at World No. 1 and has the wildcard slot in the Hurley Pro Sunset. "I am just so grateful and am really having a hard time taking it all in. I'm still processing it. I think it's kind of hit but not completely," said Wong to Spectrum News.
"When I'm out there, I'm really focused on first trying to catch two waves or two decent waves," she continued, about her competition strategy. "Then after that, I'm going to try to make sure I have clarity at the end of the heat and that the other girl is not going to try to catch a wave, and I'm winning. She's not going to catch another wave because I am going to make sure she doesn't catch it. ... I want to make it on the championship tour for sure. I want to be a world champion one day; that's always been my dream."
“I’m really looking forward to competing at Sunset and surfing in front of the home crowd,” said rival Moore, to the World Surf League, in a press release. “It is one of the most challenging but historic and special waves on the North Shore, so I’m really excited to be putting on a jersey out here again. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with incredible Sunset locals, Pancho Sullivan and Myles Padaca, in the past for this event and this year Love Hodel. I’m so grateful for their time and for sharing their years of knowledge and experience with me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support and love of so many people.”
Moore will also share the love with her nonprofit organization Moore Aloha Foundation, getting support from the Hurley brand as she spearheads an event in conjuction with the contest, rounding up female athletes in beach cleanup efforts, yoga, surfing and lei-making.
“I’m excited about paying it forward through our Moore Aloha event and sharing sunset, some of my experiences, and resources with the next generation of up-and-coming Hawaiian surfers,” Moore said.
Caroline Marks, who sits at World No. 6 (the youngest surfer to ever qualify for the Championship Tour) withdrew for medical reasons, and will be replaced by Bronte Macaulay of Gracetown, Australia.
On the men’s side, phenom Kai Lenny and big wave chamion Billy Kemper will join as the event wildcards. Three-time world champion, Sao Paolo-born Gabriel Medina also withdrew from competition and will be replaced by fellow Brazilian Caio Ibelli.
Gold Coast surfer Liam O'Brien and Costa Rican Carlos Munoz are both still healing from injuries sustained at Pipeline and will be replaced by North Narrabeen’s Jordan Lawler and North Shore’s formidable young blood Barron Mamiya.
Yago Dora, hailing from Curitiba, Brazil, is recovering from a previous head injury and will be replaced by South African Matthew McGillivray.
Kelly Slater, 49, earned his 56th CT victory at Pipeline and sits at World No. 1. He will face rookie Gold Coast-bred Callum Robson as well as event wildcard and powerhouse Haleiwa charger Mamiya. In a nail-biting battle, Mamiya, 22, put his all-time hero Slater to the test and applied enormous pressure to the world’s greatest and kept his lead on the scoreboard until the final seconds, when Slater was granted a buzzer beater and nailed the win with a 9.23 out of a possible 10.
Seth Moniz, who sits at World No. 2, will have to face San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino and Santa Cruz’s Nat Young.
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Women’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Johanne Defay (FRA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Molly Picklum (AUS)
Heat 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Malia Manuel (HAW), Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), Moana Jones Wong (HAW)
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Brisa Hennessy (CRI), Luana Silva (HAW)
Heat 5: Lakey Peterson (USA), Isabella Nichols (AUS), Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Heat 6: Tyler Wright (AUS), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), India Robinson (AUS)
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Men’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Ryan Callinan (AUS), Matthew McGillivray (ZAF)
Heat 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Lucca Mesinas (PER), Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Heat 3: Kelly Slater (USA), Callum Robson (AUS), Barron Mamiya (HAW)
Heat 4: Conner Coffin (USA), Jadson Andre (BRA), Jordan Lawler (AUS)
Heat 5: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Ezekiel Lau (HAW), Billy Kemper (HAW)
Heat 6: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Joao Chianca (BRA), Kai Lenny (HAW)
Heat 7: Morgan Cibilic (AUS), Samuel Pupo (BRA), Imaikalani deVault (HAW)
Heat 8: John John Florence (HAW), Ethan Ewing (AUS), Owen Wright (AUS)
Heat 9: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Deivid Silva (BRA), Jackson Baker (AUS)
Heat 10: Seth Moniz (HAW), Kolohe Andino (USA), Nat Young (USA)
Heat 11: Miguel Pupo (BRA), Jack Robinson (AUS), Jake Marshall (USA)
Heat 12: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Frederico Morais (PRT), Connor O’Leary (AUS)
You can watch the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach on the Spectrum Surf Channel 1020 or for more information, visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
