Surfing Olympics 2024: All you need to know
The Olympics 2024 are here, and with them comes the second-ever surfing competition in Olympic history. If you’re a surfing enthusiast, the 2024 Summer Olympics is set to be a thrilling event you won’t want to miss. We at Let Us Surf are especially excited to watch Moroccan Ramzi Boukhiam compete. Let’s dive into the history, the upcoming competition, and the surfers to watch out for.
Surfing in the Olympics: A Quick History
Surfing made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, held in 2021 due to the pandemic. It was a monumental moment for the surfing community, as the sport finally gained recognition on the world’s biggest sporting stage. The inclusion of surfing brought fresh energy and vibes, showcasing the sport’s blend of athleticism, artistry, and connection with nature.
Surfing Olympics 2024: The Ultimate Showdown
The 2024 Olympic surfing competition is set to take place at the legendary Teahupo’o wave in Tahiti, a location renowned for its powerful and beautiful barrels. This wave is no joke—it’s a thick, fast-moving wave that breaks over a shallow coral reef, making it one of the most challenging and thrilling waves in the world.
Dates and Format:
The surfing competition will occur within a 10-day window from July 27 to August 5, 2024. This flexible schedule ensures the event can take place in the best possible wave conditions. The contest structure begins with 24 surfers of each gender, split into eight heats of three athletes. Winners from each heat move to round three, while others get a second chance in head-to-head matchups in round two. The progression continues to quarterfinals, semifinals, and ultimately, the medal matches.
Who’s Competing:
The competition features 48 of the world’s best surfers, representing 21 nations:
🇦🇺 Australia (4)
🇧🇷 Brazil (6)
🇨🇦 Canada (1)
🇨🇳 China (1)
🇨🇷 Costa Rica (1)
🇸🇻 El Salvador (1)
🇫🇷 France (4) Host
🇩🇪 Germany (2)
🇮🇩 Indonesia (1)
🇮🇱 Israel (1)
🇮🇹 Italy (1)
🇯🇵 Japan (4)
🇲🇽 Mexico (1)
🇲🇦 Morocco (1)
🇳🇿 New Zealand (2)
🇳🇮 Nicaragua (1)
🇵🇪 Peru (3)
🇵🇹 Portugal (2)
🇿🇦 South Africa (3)
🇪🇸 Spain (3)
🇺🇸 United States (5)
Some of the most notable competitors include:
- Team USA: John John Florence and Carissa Moore, the defending Olympic gold medalist.
- Brazil: Gabriel Medina and Tatiana Weston-Webb, both renowned for their skill in barrel waves.
- Australia: Jack Robinson and Molly Picklum, young talents making waves on the world stage.
- Local Heroes: Tahiti’s own Kauli Vaast and Vahine Fierro, leveraging their home advantage on this formidable wave.
The Thrill of Teahupo’o
Teahupo’o is celebrated for its unique and dangerous wave. It rises from deep ocean swells, creating a perfect, glassy barrel that’s as beautiful as it is intimidating. Surfers must drop into the wave, navigate the fast-moving water, and ride deep inside the tube before making a clean exit. The goal is to disappear behind the wave’s curtain and reappear, a maneuver that scores highly and showcases their mastery.
Shane Dorian, a big wave legend and Team USA head coach, emphasizes that the ultimate objective is to “disappear behind the curtain,” riding the tube deeply and emerging skillfully.
The Path to Qualification
Surfers earn their spots through a mix of World Surf League rankings, results from the ISA World Surfing Games, and continental qualification events. The qualification system ensures that the world’s best surfers and diverse talents from around the globe compete, maintaining a maximum of two surfers per gender per country, with some exceptions for team champions from the ISA World Surfing Games.
Surf with an Olympic Vibe
Did you know? Ramzi Boukhiam, one of Morocco’s surfing sensations competing in the 2024 Olympics, hails from the beautiful coast of Agadir. He honed his skills at local spots like Devil’s Rock, a favorite among surfers for its consistent waves. At Let Us Surf, we offer our guests the chance to experience the same waves that shaped Ramzi’s journey to the Olympics. Join us and catch the Olympic vibe by surfing the very spots where Ramzi perfected his craft.