Surfing: Moore wins Taranaki crown

Champion surfer Carissa Moore in action. Photo / ASP - Kirstin Scholtz

Hawaiian rookie Carissa Moore surged to her first world title as the New Zealand challenge faltered late in the women's surfing world championship tour event off Taranaki today.

Moore downed red-hot Australian Sally Fitzgibbons by a total score of 19.16 to 16.17 in a high quality final at New Plymouth's Fitzroy Beach, winning a clash of two world class teenagers both seeking their first win on the Dream Tour.

The youngest fulltime competitor on this year's Dream Tour, 17-year-old Moore produced two brilliant rides to eclipse Fitzgibbons, 19, with her two scoring efforts both marked at better than nine out of 10.

She took control of the final with wave scores of 9.33 and 9.83 which Fitzgibbons, who had scored four scores greater than nine this week to be the consistently best performer on show, couldn't match. Her two best efforts were marked 7.50 and 8.67.

Moore had reached the quarterfinal stage of the first two legs on this year's tour but the youngster from Honolulu delivered on her enormous promise this week, including in today's semifinal defeat of giant-killing New Zealander Sarah Mason.

Having ousted compatriot Paige Hareb in a spectacular quarterfinal this morning diminutive 15-year-old Mason couldn't repeat the dose against Moore, losing by 14.56 to 11.33.

Mason couldn't unleash the storming finish that had become her trademark in a stunning debut on the Dream Tour, including a shock elimination of Australian three-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore yesterday.

That continued with a 16.23 to 11.83 defeat of the more experienced Hareb in this morning's quarterfinals but quality options deserted the Queensland-based Mason in her semifinal as the swell increased but didn't provide the backhand breaks favoured by the talented goofy footer.

Moore established a healthy lead by the halfway mark of the 30-minute semifinal, recording her two scoring waves of 5.83 and 8.73.

Mason scored 6.50 in an early wave but then couldn't register anything better than 5.0 out of 10 as frustration grew in the closing stages.

Having celebrated her 15th birthday on Sunday, New Zealand Open champion Mason will take away US$6000 ($8453) in prizemoney and an enhanced repuation following her wildcard invitation to debut on the elite tour.

Earlier, she produced a dynamic vertical re-entry in her final wave which scored 8.73 points and broke a deadlock against second-year tour veteran Hareb. The scores between the two Taranaki-born riders had been level with three minutes remaining.

Hareb had recorded early rides worth 5.33 and 4.17 to open up a healthy lead before Mason surged in the closing stages.

"That backhand attack is so mature, it's amazing," Hareb later said of her compatriot.

Hareb will be credited with fifth place, her best finish this year, and she snares prizemoney of US$5250.

The first ASP Tour event hosted by New Zealand was marred by lay days early in the week but choppy conditions smoothed out this afternoon for the semifinals and final, which featured some of the smooth barrels the area is famed for.

There was no sign throughout the week of the pocket of protestors from the local surfing community who voiced disapproval at the event coming to their waters.

The fourth event of nine on the Dream Tour is the Beachley Classic starting in Sydney on Wednesday next week.

- NZPA