Local Girl Carissa Moore Wins the First Olympic Gold Medal for Surfing!   Photo Credit to @rissmoore10 This week, local Honolulu surfer Carissa Moore made history by becoming the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in surfing (with Brazilian Italo Ferreira winning the first gold for the men). The win (over South African Bianca Buitendag) cemented Carissa’s reputation as one of the all-time surfing great, as she adds her gold medal to four world titles (won in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2019). But Carissa’s path to the Olympics wasn’t easy. She has worked hard her entire life, all the while maintaining the incredibly positive attitude and sweet demeanor that we all love about her.   Carissa was born in August of 1992, and started surfing Waikiki with her dad when she was five years old. By the time she was 10, she was well-known throughout Hawaii as the state’s best up-and-coming female surfer. At 11, she won her first NSSA title, and soon found herself competing in the ISA World Junior Championships, where she helped Hawaii win a team championship. She ultimately went on to win 11 NSSA championships, and was the youngest woman to ever win a Triple...