Surfing at the Paris Olympics 2024: 5 Key Facts You Need to Know

Surfing at the 2024 Olympics will be held in Tahiti, French Polynesia, at the renowned Teahupo'o surf break. Scheduled to be held from Saturday, July 27, 2024, to Sunday, August 5, 2024. The event promises thrilling performances in one of the world's most iconic surf spots.

Image: AFP

Building on its debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, surfing's Olympic journey continues to captivate audiences with its dynamic and visually striking competition. The 2024 Olympic Surfing features 48 surfers—24 men and 24 women—from 21 nations, including newcomers like Canada and China.

In this article, let us learn how and when surfing became an Olympic sport, the qualification and competition structure, the participating nations (2020 and 2024), the medalists (surfers and countries), and the surfing equipment.

Surfing at the Paris Olympics 2024: 5 Key Facts You Need to Know

Image: AFP

1. In 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially decided to include surfing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Surfing made its Olympic debut at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. This historic inclusion was the culmination of decades of advocacy and passion from the surfing community. One of the earliest and most influential proponents was Duke Kahanamoku, a three-time Olympic swimming freestyle champion and native Hawaiian. In the 1920s, Kahanamoku began campaigning for surfing to be added to the Olympic program, recognizing the sport's unique blend of athleticism and artistry.

In 2015, the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee proposed the sport for inclusion in the 2020 Games. One year later, at the Rio 2016 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially decided to include surfing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This decision marked a significant moment for the sport, as it brought surfing to a global stage and provided an opportunity for the world's best surfers to compete for Olympic medals. Surfing's inclusion in the Olympics is set to continue for the near future, as the sport has already been approved for inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Games. This ensures that surfing will remain a fixture in the Olympic program, further solidifying its status as a competitive and culturally significant sport.

2. How do surfers qualify and compete at the Olympics?

The qualification process for Olympic surfing involves a combination of results from the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour, the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games, and continental competitions.

The Olympic surfing competition format consists of six rounds: Rounds 1, 2, and 3, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Here’s a breakdown of how these rounds work:

Round 1: This initial round features eight heats, each with three surfers. The top surfer from each heat advances directly to Round 3. The remaining two surfers from each heat move on to Round 2.

Round 2: In this round, there are eight heats with two surfers each. The winner of each heat progresses to Round 3, while the loser is eliminated from the competition.

Round 3 (Round of 16): This round marks the beginning of a single-elimination competition. Each heat consists of two surfers. The winner of each heat advances to the quarterfinals, while the loser is eliminated.

Quarterfinals: The eight remaining surfers compete in four heats. The winner of each heat moves on to the semifinals.

Semifinals: Four surfers compete in two heats. The winners advance to the finals, and the losers proceed to the bronze medal match.

Finals: The top surfers from the semifinals compete for the gold and silver medals.

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3. A total of 48 surfers, with 24 women and 24 men, will be competing in surfing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

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In the 2020 Summer Olympics, there were 20 men and 20 women surfers. Countries with strong surfing traditions, such as the United States, Australia, Brazil, and Japan, were well-represented. Other nations, including South Africa, France, and Peru, also showcased their talents, highlighting the sport's international appeal.

For the Paris 2024 Olympics, the field has expanded to include 48 surfers, with 24 women and 24 men. These athletes will represent 21 different nations, showcasing the sport’s international reach. Notably, countries such as Canada, China, El Salvador, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Spain will each see their first Olympic surfing representatives in Paris, marking a significant milestone in surfing’s global expansion.

4. Who are the Olympic surfing champions?

At the 2020 Summer Olympics, the surfing competition produced thrilling performances and memorable moments. The gold medalists were Carissa Moore from the United States and Ítalo Ferreira from Brazil, who both displayed exceptional skills and composure under pressure. 5-times World Champion Moore's victory was particularly significant as she became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in surfing.

Japan has won two medals (silver and bronze) while USA and Brazil have one gold medal each. The following table summarizes the medalists from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and highlights the countries with the most surfing Olympic medals to date:

5. Shortboards are the preferred surfboards in the Olympics…

Shortboards are the primary equipment used in Olympic surfing. They are smaller and more manoeuvrable than longboards, which allows surfers to execute complex tricks and manoeuvres with greater agility. The shorter length and sharper design of shortboards make them ideal for high-speed performance and precise control, which are crucial for competitive surfing.

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Surfing's inclusion in the Olympics has brought a dynamic new dimension to the Games, showcasing the sport's global appeal and athleticism. The sport's inclusion in Paris 2024 and its confirmation for Los Angeles 2028 further solidify its growing presence in the Olympic movement. With the International Olympic Committee (IOC) also approving surfing for the Los Angeles 2028 Games, the sport is set to gain even more prominence and inspire a new generation of athletes.

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