Finals day drama began as soon as the first Women's Semifinal heat hit the water. Tyler Wright started things off with a Semifinal win over Tatiana Weston-Webb, and had to wait on the beach as Carissa Moore went to battle with Courtney Conlogue. The World No. 2 needed to win the event to avoid handing the Title over to Tyler. But Carissa had other plans. The Hawaiian took down Courtney, and the defending World Champ passed a well-deserved World Title over to Tyler Wright. Celebration ensued. Moore later went on to win the event, marking her first CT victory of 2016.
On the men's side, an unexpected winner emerged from a field of top seeds. Keanu Asing snagged his first CT victory by scrapping his way past the two highest-ranked surfers in the world: John John Florence and Gabriel Medina. His lightning-fast backhand made all the difference. Keanu can hold his head high knowing re-qualifcation is looking much more promising. And an added bonus: He has some extra cash to pay for his upcoming wedding.