Paris 2024 surfing: What’s next for Olympic surfing at Teahupo’o? A scheduling update
Image courtesy of Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Wednesday, July 31st is the fourth day of the 10-day Olympic surfing competition at the Teahupo'o surfing spot in French Polynesia. The event had to be paused when bad weather arrived on the afternoon of Monday, July 29th, delaying the women's surfing round 3.
The contest experienced different types of weather, especially big waves on Monday morning in the men's round 3. This moment will be remembered in surfing competition history.
Olympics.com interviewed Fernando Aguerre, the president of the International Surfing Association (ISA), at Teahupo'o, which is 9,000 miles away from the host city of Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. They discussed the current conditions and scheduling plans for the event.
After declaring another postponement on Wednesday morning, Aguerre clarified that this is a standard practice in any surfing competition - you must be ready at any moment. He mentioned that even though there have been delays, there is a strong sense of anticipation in the air. Even the surfers who are not competing are mingling with those who are.
Everyone can unwind and recuperate, especially after that stressful Monday. There were numerous failures; it's different to fail anywhere else in the world than to fail here.
"When we witness a surfer taking a spill while riding the wave, we are relieved that there have been no serious injuries. Our main focus is on ensuring the safety of the athletes first and foremost, followed by the competitive aspect of the event."
We will announce if we will begin women's round 3 at 5:45 p.m. local time in Tahiti on July 31st (5:45 a.m. in Paris on August 1st).
When the competition starts again, it will continue with the third round for women, then move on to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finally the matches for the bronze and gold medals.
The surfing competition will take place from now until August 5th. You can view the complete schedule by clicking here.
Mastering Surf Forecasting At Teahupo'o
Teahupo'o has some of the trickiest waves to predict for surfing. Aguerre mentioned, "The weather and waves in this area can change rapidly. It's similar to navigating the open ocean. This unpredictability adds to the thrill of surfing because it's not purely based on scientific facts. It's a combination of science and creativity; forecasting plays a role, and those who assist us are highly knowledgeable in this field."
The contest has been postponed because, according to Aguirre, "the weather conditions are not ideal. The strong winds created choppy waves, making it necessary to wait for the swell to stabilize before continuing with the competition."
Fishing is unpredictable, you never know when you'll catch a fish. The same goes for anything related to the ocean.
Even with the difficulties, Aguirre believes that the surf competition in Tahiti has been a fantastic experience. It was a big effort for everyone involved, but Aguirre thinks they made the right decision.
