Maui surfer Nora Liotta ready for Sunset Pro arena, looks for back-to-back wins

Haʻikū’s Nora Liotta has a chance to reach another milestone in her young surfing career this week as she aims to defend her title in the World Surf League’s Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro.

The reigning Sunset Pro champion will compete in the third heat of the quarterfinals as early as this Wednesday. As a Hawaiʻi/Tahiti Nui QS 1,000 event, she’ll also have an opportunity for points to support her Challenger Series hopes.

“It’s really exciting going into this event,” the 20-year-old surfer told the World Surf League. “I obviously have a lot of confidence going into an event (that’s) close to home, one that I did well at last year.”

Liotta’s track record at Sunset goes back several seasons. Two years ago, she finished as the event’s runner-up, and last year, she claimed her maiden QS victory there with a heat-best score of 7.50 in the final. That win also secured her a spot in the World Surf League’s Challenger Series, where she ended the season ranked 37th, and the World Junior Championships, where she finished in 9th place. After just two events this year, she’s ranked 9th in the World Surf League’s Women’s Qualifying Series.

Currently, Liotta says she’s more focused on enjoying the experience than worrying about her standings. “The first QS I ever did, for the first time when I was 13, I remembering being so scared and nervous, but I came out of it feeling so much more confident… I feel like we’re really lucky to be able to surf somewhere so iconic with so much history.”

Liotta will join several other Maui Nui surfers competing this week at Oʻahu’s Paumalū, or Sunset Beach. Haʻikū surfers Ellie Brown and big-wave rider Skylar Lickle, who is entering her first QS event, will also be competing.

The competition is on hold through Tuesday, Oct. 29, with the next call on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7 a.m. HST.