Olympic Surfing 2024: New Schedule for Teahupo’o Events
Wednesday, July 31 is the fourth day of the 10-day Olympic surfing window at the Tahiti surfing destination of Tehopo in French Polynesia. Competition has been suspended since the women’s surfing Round 3 competition was delayed due to unfavorable conditions on the afternoon of Monday 29 July.
The competition has seen a variety of weather conditions, particularly big waves on Monday morning during Men’s Round 3 – an event that will go down in surfing competition history.
Olympics.com spoke with Fernando Aguirre, president of the International Surfing Association (ISA) in Teahupo’o, 9,000 miles from Paris, the host city of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, about current conditions and scheduling plans.
After announcing more holdings Wednesday morning, Aguirre explained that it’s “the ABC of any surfing competition — you’re on standby.” Despite the delay, he said, “When you hang out here, you feel an excitement. Even surfers who are out of competition, they’re hanging out with people who are in competition.”
“Everybody can rest and recover, especially after this intense Monday. There were many wipeouts; no wipeout anywhere in the world is the same as being wiped out here.”
“When you see a surfer go over the lip and fall onto the reef, we’re glad we didn’t have a major accident. And want to continue to protect the athletes – that’s a priority, and then it There is competition.”
The women’s Round 3 start will be decided at 5:45 p.m. Tahiti time on Wednesday July 31 (Thursday August 1 at 5:45 p.m. Paris time).
Once the competition is called back “on” it will resume with Women’s Round 3, followed by quarterfinals, semifinals and bronze and gold medal matches.
On the art of surf forecasting at Teahupo’o
Teahupo’o is one of the trickiest waves to forecast for surf. “In this part of the world, weather and tide patterns change very quickly,” Aguirre said. “It’s like being in the open ocean. That’s part of the excitement of surfing, that it’s not science. It’s a mixture of science and art; it’s predictable, and the people who help us are the people who do it. know well.
The competition has been delayed because, says Aguirre, “the conditions are not right. The big storm that came in, there was a swell and then the wind, so the wind breaks up the swell, and it takes hours and hours for the swell to stabilize and clear.” Sometimes it takes a day or two, and that’s what we want.
“It’s like fishing — you never know when a fish is going to bite. Anything related to the ocean is like that.”
Despite the challenges, Aguirre says, “It’s been an amazing competition so far. Taking on the surf in Tahiti is a really big undertaking for all parties. But at the end of the day, I think we did the right thing. What’s the job?”
Table of Contents
Why was the Olympic surfing competition at Teahupo’o suspended?
The competition was suspended due to unfavorable weather conditions, including big waves and wind, which disrupted the event.
How are the weather and conditions at Teahupo’o affecting the competition?
Teahupo’o is known for its challenging conditions, with rapidly changing weather and tide patterns. The big storm and resulting swell have caused delays as the waves need time to stabilize.
What has been the response from the surfing community?
Despite the delays, there is a sense of excitement and anticipation among the surfers and the community, with many staying around to engage and support the event.
Who provided insights into the event’s status and conditions?
Fernando Aguirre, president of the International Surfing Association (ISA), provided updates and insights on the current conditions and scheduling plans.
