Surf’s up for the 2024 Olympics. And whereas the huge majority of occasions will happen on the French mainland, there’s one sport that can have a particular website of its personal, almost 10,000 miles away: browsing.
The village of Teahupo’o on the tropical island of Tahiti will function the situation for this yr’s competitors. Tahiti is situated in the midst of the Pacific Ocean and is a part of French Polynesia, an autonomous abroad nation of the French Republic.
That is the second time browsing will make an look, following its debut on the Tokyo Video games in 2021.
Here is every thing you’ll want to find out about this yr’s Olympic occasion in Tahiti.
The place will the browsing competitors be?
Surfers will compete off the coast of Teahupo’o, a village on the southwestern coast of Tahiti, recognized globally for its highly effective waves. This selection, Olympic organizers say, was in “alignment with Paris 2024’s ambition to unfold the Video games throughout France.”
The circumstances for browsing are extra very best this time of yr in Tahiti in contrast with France, mentioned Ben Thouard, an ocean photographer who will likely be taking photographs from the water throughout the competitors.
“As a result of Tahiti is a part of France and Teahupo’o is without doubt one of the most well-known, heaviest waves on this planet, it was an incredible alternative for the Olympics to decide on it to have the very best venue,” he mentioned.
Tahiti is a part of French Polynesia, an abroad territory of France within the South Pacific Ocean. The island is certainly one of roughly 130 that make up the territory.
Whereas that is the primary time the village will host a contest on the Olympic stage, Teahupo’o welcomes surfers from world wide every year to compete for the World Surf League Tahiti Professional title.
BRIAN BIELMANN/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
What is going to the browsing circumstances in Tahiti be like?
Anybody who has been courageous sufficient to enterprise into the waves of Teahupo’o will let you know that browsing there is no such thing as a joke. The waves, often known as the heaviest and a few of the deadliest on this planet, can swell as much as 20 ft excessive.
The dimensions and the standard of the swells throughout the Olympics will rely on each the storms within the South Pacific and native climate, mentioned Thouard. “It is a mixture of these two elements that should occur,” he mentioned.
Bru G/Andia/Common Photographs Group by way of Getty Photographs
Storms within the South Pacific beneath New Zealand are what generate the swells that present up off the coast of Tahiti, in response to Thouard. Throughout the Tahitian winter – between April and October – the wind is blowing sturdy and the swells coming from the South Pacific are constant, Thouard mentioned, creating very best browsing circumstances. This hopefully will bode effectively for the Olympic competitors which falls smack dab in the midst of the island’s winter.
The native climate – specifically the wind – may additionally affect how circumstances form up throughout the Olympics.
“The wind is essential for browsing, as a result of it might have an effect on the floor of the water,” mentioned Thouard. “When it is offshore, so it is blowing in the direction of the surface, it normally makes the wave cleaner, which is what we would like.”
How will the Olympic browsing venue be arrange?
Throughout the browsing competitors, judges and coaches will likely be stationed on somewhat tower in a lagoon, Thouard mentioned, whereas journalists and photographers – save Thouard who will likely be within the water – will likely be on close by boats. Spectators must watch on TV because the occasion is closed to the general public.
In Teahupo’o, waves break towards a shallow coral reef over a half a mile from the shore, that means athletes and the Olympic entourage must take a ship to get to the beginning location.
Onshore, there will likely be an Olympic Village made up of modular houses, which will likely be repurposed as social housing after the Video games conclude.
OSCAR CHUBERRE/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Historical past of the Island of Tahiti and browsing
Whereas Tahiti has been a world vacation spot for surfers for the reason that 1960, browsing in Polynesia stretches again tons of – some say 1000’s – of years and stays “an vital a part of Polynesian tradition, handled as an artwork greater than a sport,” in response to NOAA.
What is the Olympic browsing schedule for 2024?
The occasion will happen over a four-day span someday between July 27 and Aug. 5. The precise dates will rely on the circumstances.
The competitors is damaged up into six totally different rounds, every of which consist of various heats. Surfers both advance or get eradicated throughout every spherical.
Who’s browsing for Crew USA?
The U.S. may have a mixture of veteran and novice Olympic opponents together with Caroline Marks, Carissa Moore, Caity Simmers, Griffin Colapinto and John John Florence. Moore, who’s used to browsing massive waves as a Hawaii native, made historical past in 2021 when she received the inaugural gold medal in browsing throughout the Tokyo Video games.
In complete, 48 surfers from 20 nations will take to the waves. Of the 4 athletes representing France, two – Vahine Fierro and Kauli Vaast – are initially from French Polynesia.
Ryan Pierse / Getty Photographs
