Maui Pro Called Off Today Following Shark Incident at Honolua

December 8, 2020, 7:57 AM HST
* Updated December 8, 9:32 AM

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An adult male surfer was reportedly taken to the Maui Memorial Medical Center after suffering from an apparent shark bite at Honolua Bay on Maui, where the Maui Pro surf competition was set to get underway at 10 a.m. today.

Sources tell Maui Now that the incident occurred at around 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 about 20 yards offshore near a river mouth area. Ocean Safety crews hired for the nearby surf event were reportedly in the water and quickly tended to the injured surfer, who was not part of the competition.

We have unconfirmed reports that the individual suffered injuries to his left side lower extremities.

Full story here.

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Tyler Wright (AUS), the two-time WSL Champion earned a Perfect 10 in the first Quarterfinal heat against fellow Australian and seven-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore at the Maui Pro presented by ROXY at Honolua Bay.

Wright is mounting her comeback after almost two years off due to illness. For Wright, the first 2021 Championship Tour stop at Honolua Bay offered up the perfect combination of speed and power to match the regular-footer’s style.

“The way it set up on the reef, I was like, ‘Oh, this is one of those ones that if you put yourself in the right spot it can work out really good,’” Wright said of the perfect ride. “There hadn’t been one of those all day. Once I saw it, I just went with the feeling, and then I celebrated a few times along the way.”

Wright paddled out for her opening heat of the 2021 CT wearing an updated jersey showcasing both the Australian flag and the Progress Pride flag.

Honolua Bay offered up flawless five-to-eight foot (1.8 – 2.4 meter) surf. But, with wave selection a key factor in which surfer advanced, Caroline Marks (USA) fell to Sage Erickson(USA) as she could not find a fourth wave as time expired.

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Meanwhile, Carissa Moore (HAW) and fellow Hawaiian Malia Manuel (HAW), battled it out during Quarterfinal 3, with Manuel forcing the four-time and current WSL Champion to play defense throughout much of the heat. Earlier in the day during the elimination rounds, Moore took out another fellow Hawaiian, 15-year old Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), who was the lone wildcard entry and was surfing in her first CT competition.

“I knew I couldn’t take her lightly,” said Moore. “She has a great crew behind her, especially with coach Ross Williams; he’s got the knowledge behind her. She’s confident and she attacks the wave.”

The Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons presented by Hydro Flask and the Maui Pro presented by ROXY have been called ON for a big day of surfing action in Hawaiʻi. Opening Day for the Pipe Masters will start at 8 a.m. HST, while Finals Day for the Maui Pro will start at 10:05 a.m. HST.

Maui Pro pres. by ROXY Seeding Round 1 Results:

HEAT 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 13.00 DEF. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 8.23, Keely Andrew (AUS) 6.10
HEAT 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 15.57 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 11.43, Isabella Nichols (AUS) 7.16
HEAT 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.00 DEF. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 12.33, Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 8.60
HEAT 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 16.00 DEF. Malia Manuel (HAW) 13.24, Macy Callaghan (AUS) 5.80
HEAT 5: Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.36 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRI) 8.50, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 6.96
HEAT 6: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 13.83 DEF. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 9.04, Sage Erickson (USA) 7.90

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Maui Pro pres. by ROXY Elimination Round 2 Results:

HEAT 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.07 DEF. Sage Erickson (USA) 14.00, Keely Andrew (AUS) 11.30
HEAT 2: Isabella Nichols (AUS) 14.93 DEF. Macy Callaghan (AUS) 12.50, Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 12.00

Maui Pro pres. by ROXY Round of 16 Results:

HEAT 1: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 15.10 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRI) 14.53
HEAT 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.83 DEF. Johanne Defay (FRA) 13.70
HEAT 3: Lakey Peterson (USA) 14.90 DEF. Macy Callaghan (AUS) 11.36
HEAT 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 15.24 DEF. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 14.70
HEAT 5: Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.00 DEF. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 11.83
HEAT 6: Malia Manuel (HAW) 13.23 DEF. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12.23
HEAT 7: Sage Erickson (USA) 12.67 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 11.10
HEAT 8: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 18.20 DEF. Isabella Nichols (AUS) 13.16

Maui Pro pres. by ROXY Quarterfinal Results:

HEAT 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 18.33 DEF. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.40
HEAT 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.37 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 11.30
HEAT 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 15.04 DEF. Malia Manuel (HAW) 11.27
HEAT 4: Sage Erickson (USA) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) UPCOMING

Maui Pro pres. by ROXY Semifinal Matchups:

HEAT 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
HEAT 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. TBD

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.