Favorite food: I just started falling in love with Vietnamese food. In Hawaii, there’s such a mix of cultures that you can really get anything—Mexican food, Chinese food. So many people brought their own cultures with them to stay.
Favorite city: I love Honolulu, but recently, I went to Panama City and it was amazing. I went there to surf. I liked learning about the culture and meeting the indigenous people. I learned so much. I never thought that when I first started surfing that I would be to Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Surfing has taken me everywhere!
Quiet Place: My backyard. I live in the back of Palolo Valley in Oahu. Our house is the very last house in the valley, so you can’t see another house from my porch. Behind my house is this beautiful green valley. It’s quiet and there’s a stream that runs through it.
Favorite Musical Artist: I love Paramore. I got to take them surfing when they came to Hawaii. I’m actually recording a song with a Hawaiian band back home. They want to bring back surfing and music together. It used to be a big thing, people would go surfing, then they would all jam together on the beach. That doesn’t happen as much anymore, but I would love for there to be more of a mix of music. And I love Jack Johnson too! He lives on the north shore of Oahu. I saw him biking, and he was like, “Hey Carissa!” And I was like, “Wait, you know who I am?”
Favorite Karaoke Song: (sings) “What’s love got to do, got to do with it?”
Favorite Television Show: New Girl. I love to laugh, and I look forward to those 30 minutes every Tuesday.
Movie: Little Miss Sunshine is the funniest movie ever!
Charity: I’ve been dipping my toes in a bunch of different things. I’m passionate about starting something that can help young girls with their confidence. I also help kids with disabilities learn to surf. I’m getting involved with Hurley’s H20 project in Mexico to bring clean water there. And Target has given me the opportunity to go to St Jude’s Hospital. I’ve been given this awesome life to inspire people and help out, so it’s important to me.
Gadget: My iPhone. I had a flip phone for the longest time, but now I can’t go back. Even in Hawaii, they’re everywhere. I see so many people with iPhones on the beach taking bikini selfies!
Holiday: Christmas is my favorite. My parents are divorced so I go to both my mom’s and dad’s and both grandparents houses, so it’s a busy day. We have the traditional Thanksgiving meal with the turkey and all, and we always get in a surf with me, my dad and my little sister. And somehow on Christmas, there’s always a great surf. I can’t imagine Christmas with snow.
Thing to do with friends: I love to go on hikes. One of the best hikes on the island is my backyard.
Things to do with family: Hang out and eat in my grandma’s backyard. Every Sunday, they put lights over the backyard, and we have a barbecue with the family.
Thing to conquer boredom: I’m big on scrapbooking my travels. I print out pictures, and I have way to many pretty papers and stickers.
Thing to collect: I try to keep something from everyplace I go. I give credit from my dad, but everywhere I go, we get sand. In one of the rooms in my house, I have a collection of all these different sands from around the world.
Motto: Never sell yourself short. Live your dreams and always have fun. You can do anything you set your mind and heart to do.
Career Highlight: During my rookie year I was struggling, trying to find myself. I finished 9th in my first event and 13th in my second. Being away from home was new to me. My dad met me in New Zealand and said, “Carissa, we have to turn this around. We have to find that passion and stop worrying about distractions.” We went to the opening ceremony, and the local surf club did the Haka and sang for us. It was this great gift of music and singing and dance. So my dad said, “We’re going to go to their club tonight and ask if they can support you, be your family for the week. And in return, you’re going to give them whatever you earn from this contest.” It was such a moving experience to see how love and people can come together. I was thinking about something bigger. Their club didn’t have windows. It was falling a part. And I won the event. It was this experience of how much love can really do.
