Surfing: Carissa Moore and Italo Ferreira win New Zealand Pro at Raglan

World champions and Olympic gold medalists Carissa Moore and Italo Ferreira won the New Zealand Pro at Raglan, both claiming their first victories since becoming parents.

Hawaii's Moore won her first Championship Tour event since 2023, after two seasons away welcoming her daughter, 'Olena, to the world.

Moore defeated Sawyer Lindblad of the United States in the final in the best conditions of the event at Manu Bay.

After Lindblad struck first for a small score, Moore took the second exchange, opening with an excellent 8.50 over a 7.67 from Lindblad.

A fall from Moore on a larger set wave opened the door for Lindblad to take the upper hand. The Southern Californian goofy-footer drove through a series of searing forehand carves to post a 9.00, leaving Moore in need of an 8.18.

The Hawaiian continued to attack but was unable to find excellence again until the six-minute mark, when a steep inside section opened up for her to seamlessly deliver a combination of three powerful backhand blasts and earn a 9.40, for a 17.90 heat total.

"I was on the ropes for a good portion of that heat. When [Sawyer Lindblad] dropped that 9.00, I was like, OK, well, I need a wave and I need to show up," Moore said.

"Sawyer's been on point all event. I respect her so much and I think she's really found her form this year."

The five-time world champion dominated the first Championship Tour (CT) event to be held at New Zealand's premier left point, posting the highest heat totals in every round, including the overall highest of the season in the semi-finals, a near-perfect 19.00 (out of a possible 20).

The result further solidifies Moore's place at No. 2 on the all-time CT win list with 29 victories.

Moore also won the first women's CT to be held in New Zealand, at Taranaki in 2010. It was her first victory as a 17-year-old Rookie on Tour and she gifted all her prize money to the local Waitara Bar Boardriders Club, a contingent of which came to support her in this event.

"This place has held a special place in my heart for a really long time. My experience here in 2010 changed my whole perspective on my career, what success looked like and how I wanted to live.

"I just want to say a big mahalo to the community in Taranaki but also here, and how you all have shown up every single day. The love and the energy and the mana in this place are indescribable and something I will remember for the rest of my life."

Having won the regular season for every year she has competed on the CT since 2019, the 33-year-old's move to No. 6 on the season rankings is a major threat to the new generation on tour.

"This is for the mums - never stop dreaming if you want to," Moore said.

"When I walked away two years ago, I didn't know if I'd ever get this feeling back or this opportunity to surf perfect waves with only one other person out in front of a beautiful crowd and at a beautiful place with my family on the beach.

"In that process, you doubt yourself so much, and so I think the win means so much to me.

"I do want to say thank you to my husband because without him this wouldn't be possible. To my beautiful daughter, who is adapting to all these conditions and places we're going, I couldn't do it if she weren't willing to; she has given me a strength that I didn't even know I had."

Italo Ferreira reclaimed the No. 1 position on the rankings following his 11th CT win and will wear the Yellow Leader Jersey headed into the Surf City El Salvador Pro for the second year in a row.

Also a new parent, Ferreira is feeling a fresh drive on tour as he competes for his son and wife.

"I'm so stoked to win a comp on a left, like a real left, because in the past we've had Teahupo'o, Pipe - some big ones but not a perfect one," Ferreira said.

"I was like, OK, this can be my comp, because I've been surfing so much, dedicating a lot. I've been on the road for two months without my kid, without my wife. I was like, OK, it's time to put all the energy into this event. I just want to say thank you to God for everything. The opportunity to stay here, to be here, to win this comp, to have a great family, to have a beautiful history behind me, and I'm still going. That's my energy. I'm creating a new life right now, and it's been so sick. Dad's power, right? I'm so happy."

The Final saw two of the event standouts, with totally contrasting styles: the super-fast, electric frontside surfing of Ferreira up against the rock-solid, critical backside snaps of Morgan Cibilic from Australia.

Both competitors brought their A-game to the heat, each posting their highest two-wave total of the entire event in the 40-minute matchup.

Cibilic took an early advantage, smashing a series of massive vertical re-entries to earn an 8.90 and put Ferreira on the ropes.

Ferreira looked unfazed, returning serve with 9.33 for back-to-back air-reverses on the one wave, followed by a number of carves and snaps down the line.

As the ocean slowed, Cibilic missed the last wave he could have surfed in the heat, leaving Ferreira to claim his first win in over 12 months.

"This has been an amazing event," Ferreira said.

"We have been waiting for this left, and even once we got here to New Zealand, we had to wait a little longer than the last two days it came to life. Getting to show a different type of surfing than we usually do on all of the rights has been so good and so much fun. I've really loved this place and had an amazing time surfing here and hanging out with my crew. I can't wait to come back. It was good in the Final hearing, all of the support for us, and well done to Morgan, he was surfing all week amazingly."

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