Surfing-Moore to take break from competition after Olympic title defence

American Carissa Moore, the current Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion, said she would step away from competitive surfing following her defence of the title in this year's Paris Olympics.

The 31-year-old Hawaiian native told The New York Times on Friday that she planned to dedicate time to starting a family with her husband but had left open the possibility of returning to competitive surfing in the future.

"I don’t like the word retirement," she said. "I like to say a departure from the tour, or just stepping back, or switching gears, or, like, evolving.

"I’m excited to see what else there is, outside the jersey."

The surfing events in the July 26-Aug. 11 Olympics will be held at Teahupo’o on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia.