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