Paris Olympics 2024 at Tahiti, Teahupoʻo

The surfing competition for the 2024 Paris Olympics is being held at Teahupo’o, a renowned surf spot on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. Located over 9,000 miles from Paris, Teahupo’o offers a unique and formidable challenge to surfers, making it one of the most anticipated events of the Games.

The Unique Challenge of Teahupo’o

Teahupo’o is famous for its powerful and dangerous waves, which can reach heights of 40 to 50 feet. However, it's not just the size of the waves that makes Teahupo’o a challenge; it’s the large, shallow reef beneath the water. The reef is razor-sharp, just inches below the surface, creating a life-or-death scenario for surfers when they fall.

According to Garrett McNamara, a legendary big-wave surfer, Teahupo’o is “one of the most beautiful and dangerous waves in the world.” He describes the wave as unique because of its sudden and dramatic formation. Unlike other waves where giant swells can be seen on the horizon, at Teahupo’o, the whole ocean moves forward, and the waves only reveal themselves just before they break.

As the waves approach the reef, the water on the reef gets sucked off, creating a situation where the bottom drops out, and the wave curls over. The lip of the wave then crashes directly onto the reef, making it exceptionally perilous.

Scoring System for Surfing Paris Olympics 2024 at Tahiti Teahupoʻo

The primary focus for the Paris Olympics 2024 at Tahiti Teahupoʻo is the barrel. The scoring system is designed to reflect the surfers’ ability to navigate this challenging and dangerous wave. Here’s how the scoring system works:

The Scoring System

• Five Judges: Each wave a surfer rides is evaluated by a panel of five judges.

• Scale of 0.1 to 10: Judges score each wave on a scale from 0.1 to 10, with 10 being a perfect wave.

• Highest and Lowest Discarded: The highest and lowest scores are discarded.

• Average of Three: The surfer's score is the average of the remaining three scores.

• Two Best Waves: A surfer's two highest-scoring waves are combined for their overall total.
  

Judging Criteria

Judges consider several factors when scoring a wave:

• Degree of difficulty: How challenging were the maneuvers?

• Innovative maneuvers: Did the surfer perform new or unique tricks?

• Combination of maneuvers: How well did the surfer link different moves together?

• Variety of maneuvers: Did the surfer show a range of skills?

• Speed, power, and flow: How quickly, forcefully, and smoothly did the surfer ride the wave?
  

Gabriel Medina's Historic 9.90 Score

Gabriel Medina made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by achieving the highest single-wave score ever recorded in Olympic surfing. His incredible performance earned him a 9.90, just shy of a perfect 10.  

Here's what Gabriel Medina says about his passion for surfing:

''When I’m surfing I have this sense of peace,

of being free.

My obsession is the ocean.

The water renews your energy.

This is where I discovered surfing.

It’s where I can breathe,

where I can think about my family, my friends…

and the country I’m representing.

It’s where I’m most at peace.

We all like to go back to the place we came from.

The ocean will be where I always live.'' The feeling Medina describes goes beyond the mental state of flow; it is a place of nothingness and pure love.