Olympic organizers gambled big on a dangerous surf spot and emerged golden
Olympic organizers made a big bet in holding the 2024 Paris Olympics surfing competition at an ominous location in French Polynesia nearly 10,000 miles from Paris, with pretty much no space for spectators.
Olympic organizers made a big bet in holding the 2024 Paris Olympics surfing competition at an ominous location in French Polynesia nearly 10,000 miles from Paris, with pretty much no space for spectators.
Teahupo'o's green barrels wowed the world, however, while helping the U.S.' Caroline Marks and Kauli Vaast — who was born and raised on Tahiti in French Polynesia and represented Team France — achieve magical moments while earning gold medals. Despite reef-inflicted injuries and moments when the location was questioned as just too dangerous, it would be hard to conclude Teahupo'o didn't provide its own golden moments.
The shallow reef break that heaves south swell into a brick wall of water helped to define the best in surfing at this moment, and the elimination of Brazil's Gabriel Medina, a three-time world champion, from silver and gold contention showed the location's unforgiving influence.
The U.S.' John John Florence, the world's top-ranked professional surfer, was eliminated in the third round by Australia's Jack Robinson, who took silver. Five-time world champion and defending gold medalist Clarissa Moore was eliminated in the quarterfinals after she lost to a determined Johanne Defay, who would fight on to win a bronze medal for France.
Moore said she would retire from competitive surfing after the Olympics, regardless of the outcome, and she expressed happiness over her time in Tahiti for the games. She took time off to prepare for the event, and she said she doesn't regret it.
Rating: 5