Surfing: World champion Carissa Moore signs up for Piha Pro Auckland event

Four-time world champion Carissa Moore will compete at Piha next month. Photo / Getty

The women's surfing world champion will headline the sport's biggest event to grace New Zealand shores.

Hawaiian Carissa Moore has confirmed she will compete in the inaugural Piha Pro at the Auckland West Coast beach next month.

In addition to her status as a four-time world champion, Moore has won 22 times on the world tour, as well as twice at the US Open, and is one of only three women to have won the world title in the past 13 seasons.

She's also tasted success in New Zealand before, winning the inaugural edition of New Zealand's only women's Championship Tour event in Taranaki during her rookie season in 2010.

The 27-year-old announced in December she's taking a break from Championship Tour events in 2020. However, having already qualified for the United States, she intends to compete in the sport's Olympic debut in Japan this year, with her schedule designed to prepare for that competition.

As a result, the Piha Pro represents an important part of Moore's Olympic preparation, and will be one of few opportunities for fans to see the reigning world champion in action in 2020. She joins a field which already boasts a couple of stars.

The Herald on Sunday revealed last week that 11-time men's world champion Kelly Slater will compete.

The 47-year-old also has 55 career victories, as well as being the youngest and oldest world champion in men's history.

His most dominant days were the mid-1990s, when he won five straight titles from 1994 to 1998. He captured his first world title in 1992 at the age of 20, and his last in 2011, at 39.

In 2019, at 47, he finished as the world No 8 and claimed his third Vans Triple Crown title, although he missed an Olympic berth this year.

Moore's compatriot, the inspirational Bethany Hamilton, has already confirmed her place at Piha, as she returns to the international stage.

Māori surfers Elliot Paerata-Reid of Piha and Kehu Butler of Mt Maunganui will add a local flavour to the event after being given wildcards.

The Piha Pro will see the WSL return to New Zealand for the first time in more than five years, with its last event a women's 6000-rated Qualifying Series event in Taranaki.

Organisers are hoping to attract some of the biggest names in the sport, with seven-time women's world champion Stephanie Gilmore also reportedly expressing interest.

The last major international event at Piha was the ISA world junior championships, which saw two-time world champion Gabriel Medina win the under-18 boys' division.