Jubilation, disappointment seen on shore as surfing eliminations begin in Tahiti

Filipe Toledo, of Brazil, surfs during the second round of the 2024 Summer Olympics surfing competition, in Tahiti

Contrasting reactions of jubilation and disappointment were seen on the faces of surfers coming ashore after their heats yesterday [Macau time], as the elimination rounds commenced in the Paris Olympics surfing competition in Tahiti.

“Today is the first real day of competition,” said Johanne Defay from France, who beat Australia’s Molly Picklum in a morning heat. “It’s make or break for all the athletes.”

For the second day of competition, the men’s and women’s competitors had eight heats of two surfers, with the winner advancing to the next round and the loser getting eliminated, losing their chance at winning a medal at the Paris Olympics.

The women’s heats went first during the rainy, blustery morning. Waves were noticeably smaller and with less barrels than the opening day of competition.

The conditions worked in favor of some surfers who have less experience on the typically larger, heavy waves that Teahupo’o is famed for.

“There’s not many barrels today, so the coaches asked me to make some adjustments,” said the competition’s youngest athlete, 15-year old competitor Siqi Yang from China, after beating Sol Aguirre from Peru. “I never felt afraid, just excited.”

By the time the men began their heats midday, the sun had come out and winds remained strong, with “a lack of conditions” causing some heats to have extra time added to the clock. But surfers still managed to fetch high scores on barrel waves.

Noticeably absent from the second round were surfers from the United States team, who all won their heats on the opening day of the competition to qualify directly for round three.

“It’s been nice— everyone slept in and had a leisurely breakfast,” Shane Dorian, U.S. Olympic surfing team head coach, told The Associated Press. “Some are out surfing, some are hanging with families. It’s nice to have a down day.”

Despite losing their chance at gold, some competitors expressed appreciation that surfing was included in the Olympics.

“For us surfers, it’s just really nice to show our sport a little bit more and get some more attention and show people that this is not only sport— this is a lifestyle,” said Camilla Kemp— the first woman to represent Germany in an Olympic surfing competition— who was eliminated from the competition after losing to Sarah Baum from South Africa.

The Paris Olympics is only the second time surfing has been included as an Olympic sport, after it debuted at the Tokyo Olympics.

For the women’s competition: Yang from China, Sarah Baum from South Africa, Shino Matsuda from Japan, Defay from France, Taina Hinckel and Tatiana Weston-Webb from Brazil, Yolanda Hopkins from Portugal and Anat Lelior from Israel won their heats and qualified for the next round.

For the men’s competition Kanoa Igarashi and Connor O’Leary from Japan, Jordy Smith from South Africa, Kauli Vaast from France, Ramzi Boukhiam from Morocco, Alan Cleland Quinonez from Mexico, Jack Robinson from Australia and Filipe Toledo from Brazil won their heats to qualify for the third round.

Moving forward, the competition functions as a single-elimination, head-to-head bracket. Each heat will feature two surfers, with the winner advancing to the next round and the loser being eliminated. The losers of the two semifinal heats will compete in the bronze-medal match.

The next competition day will be determined after officials assess wave conditions. MDT/AP