Moana Jones Wong

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Moanalani Jones Wong (born May 16, 1999)[1] is an American surfer who has been called the "Queen of Pipeline".[2]

Early life and education[edit]

Jones Wong was born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, alongside her younger sister.[3][2][4] She was homeschooled.[5][6]

She entered the University of Hawaii West Oahu in 2016, initially majoring in biology.[5] In her junior year, she switched her degree to Hawaiian and Indigenous Health and Healing (HIHH), after taking a class in the subject.[5] She graduated in 2021, and was part of the first class of students to graduate with the HIHH degree.[5] Her thesis was on surfing and its importance in Native Hawaiian culture.[2][5]

Surfing career[edit]

Jones Wong began surfing as a child,[2] and competed in her first surf contest at age 5.[3] As she grew older, she was driven to improve her surfing skills in order to keep up with her close friends, who were also surfers.[3][7] She first paddled out to the Banzai Pipeline at age 12.[7]

At age 11, she began a sponsorship with Billabong, which she continued until age 17.[4] Jones Wong competed in local contests until age 16.[6]

Jones Wong has never trained under a coach, and has said she doesn't follow any specific training or diet regimes.[3] In 2022, Wong began wearing a helmet while surfing the Banzai Pipeline.[8]

Jones Wong competed in the 2014 Surf n Sea Pipeline Women's Pro,[9] and in 2015 came fourth in the event's final.[10][11] She also competed in the 32-mile Molokai 2 Oahu paddle race with her father, Dawson Jones.[4]

In late 2021, Jones Wong won the HIC Pipe Pro.[2][12]

She won first place in the women's division of the 2021 Vans Pipe Masters,[2][12][13] and won the 2023 event the following year.[14][15][16][17]

In June 2023, Jones Wong was included among the surfers profiled in the docuseries Surf Girls.[18]

Personal life[edit]

Jones Wong is of Native Hawaiian descent.[19][20][21] She met her husband, Tehotu Wong, at V-Land, a surfing spot on the North Shore.[22] In her spare time, she does jiu jitsu and hula.[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Moana Jones Wong". Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Parsons, Rebecca (2022-03-15). "Moana Jones Wong Is the New Queen of Pipeline". The Inertia. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  3. ^ a b c d e Wong, Moana Jones (2023-10-16). "For Moana Jones Wong, Surfing Is More Than a Career: "[It's] a Way of Connecting to My Ancestors"". Popsugar. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  4. ^ a b c Sophia, Kyveli. "Wahine / Moana Jones". Freesurf Magazine. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  5. ^ a b c d e Arvman, Zenaida Serrano (2021-05-04). "Pro surfer makes waves, history with UH West Oʻahu degree". University of Hawaiʻi. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  6. ^ a b ""She's The Best Female Pipe Surfer... Ever!" Says Jamie O'Brien". Stab Mag. 2019-02-06. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  7. ^ a b Minsberg, Talya; Angotti-Jones, Gabriella (2022-12-22). "Finding Gender Equality in the World's Most Famous Waves". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  8. ^ Drewes, Paul (2022-02-08). "Some surfers gear up with safety in mind to ride huge waves". KITV Island News. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  9. ^ "Bethany Hamilton Wins 2014 Surf n Sea Pipeline Women's Pro". Channel Islands Surfboards. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  10. ^ Reporting, Shannon (2015-03-21). "Women Just Want to Get Barreled, Especially at Pipeline". The Inertia. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  11. ^ "Keala Kennelly claims the Surf N Sea Pipeline Women's Pro 2015". Surfer Today. 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  12. ^ a b Haro, Alexander (2022-02-06). "Wildcard Moana Jones Wong Wins Billabong Pro Pipeline Against World Champ Carissa Moore". The Inertia. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  13. ^ Pennybacker, Mindy (2022-02-06). "Hawaii surfer Moana Jones Wong wins women's Billabong Pipe Pro". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  14. ^ Howard, Jake (2023-12-13). "John John Florence, Moana Jones Wong Top Podium At 2023 Pipe Masters". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  15. ^ Truesdale, Jack (2023-12-22). "John John Florence and Moana Jones Wong Won the Vans Pipe Masters". Outside Online. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  16. ^ Pierson, Dashel (2023-12-13). "John John Florence, Moana Jones Wong Win the 2023 Pipe Masters". Surfer. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  17. ^ Singh, Ankit (2023-12-13). "Moana Jones Wong Steals the Spotlight in Hawaii After Back to Back Championships at Vans Pipeline Masters". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  18. ^ Pierson, Dashel (2023-06-28). "Reese Witherspoon Drops New Docuseries About Hawaiian Female Surfers". Surfer. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  19. ^ Arvman, Zenaida Serrano (2022-02-07). "Moana Jones Wong makes surfing history". University of Hawaiʻi. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  20. ^ Subiono, Russell (2022-02-11). "Billabong Pro Pipeline winner Moana Jones Wong on being in lōkahi, in harmony, through surfing". Hawai'i Public Radio. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  21. ^ Morton, Zander (2020-02-04). "This Young Woman Is Making A Bold Mark at Pipeline". Surfer. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  22. ^ Diamond, Anna (2022-02-21). "Meet Pipeline Surf Pioneer Moana Jones". Red Bull. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
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