Olympic Surfing: Top 5 Moments from Paris 2024
Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig
Was it all a dream? Like an M. Night Shyamalan flick with a twist ending, in which, after 10 days of the Paris 2024 Olympics, and surfing at Teahupo’o, Tahiti, the collective surf world woke in a daze, and it was all just a fabrication of the mind?
No. It was not a hallucination. It was, in fact, very real.
Local Tahitian hero Kauli Vaast won gold for the men, and Team USA’s Caroline Marks took home the top honors for the women. But before the grand finale, there were many moments that got lost in the shuffle. So, now that we’re a few days out – our brains have recalibrated, the hangover has (somewhat) subsided – it’s time for a lookback on the highlights that went down.
Here’s the top five moments from surfing in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Related: Surfing Is the Most Dangerous Olympic Sport; Day Three Proved It
Gabriel Medina’s Near-Perfect Wave (and Viral Claim)
Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig
For a few hours – maybe a day or so – surfing stole the spotlight from the entire Paris 2024 Olympics. And the funny thing was, it was due to a moment in which a surfer was not actually surfing. Gabriel Medina (Brazil, Bronze medalist) caught the wave of the event, during Round Three, on the biggest day of the event window. Then, he kicked out. And the photo went viral.
“I felt like that was a 10,” Medina told SURFER. "I’ve done a few 10s before here, and I felt, like, for sure that was another one. The wave was just so perfect. First, when I was paddling, I thought I was gone. I thought I wasn’t gonna make it. But I knew I needed to try. The wind was holding me back a little bit, as I was paddling into it. But I just went for it. It ended up not being a 10. But I was still stoked to get a 9.90.”
This image will go down in surfing history – for better or worse.
Related: Gabriel Medina Surfed the Best Wave in Olympic History (So Far)
The Day of Days
Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig
On Monday, July 19th, the biggest and best (and most dangerous) day of the whole Olympic surfing competition went down. Teahupo’o, with a strong west swell pulse in the water, was absolutely flexing. Due to the direction, the waves unloading on the reef looked almost like a horseshoe, whipping through the lineup with a curious, curved, nearly un-surf-able shape.
In terms of waves, it was the highlight of the event. And it showed the non-surfing world just how perilous this sport can be – especially on a day like this at a place like Teahupo’o, Tahiti.
“People don’t realize just how dangerous it is,” Jack Robinson told SURFER after his Round Three heat. “It’s probably one of the most dangerous places in the world [Teahupo'o, Tahiti]. Honestly, I’m happy to make it out alive. I got dragged over the bottom, then almost had a two-wave hold-down. I had barely a second between waves. Just enough time for a quick breath before going back down. I was reminded of so many guys who’ve had bad wipeouts.”
Related: Gallery: This Day Will Go Down in Olympic Surfing History
Carissa Moore’s Retirement Speech
Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig
Five-time world champion, and Tokyo 2020 2021 Olympic Gold medalist, Carissa Moore announced her retirement from professional surfing at the beginning of the 2024 season. The Paris 2024 Olympics were supposed to be her grand finale, her dénouement, her final push.
Sadly, her run at Teahupo’o, Tahiti ended early in the Quarterfinals.
“It’s very raw,” Carissa told SURFER. “You put everything you have into something. I put my whole year [into this]. I took a chance. I left the [Championship] Tour. I came here. I spent months out of the year, just trying to do my very best. And when you come up short of a dream, it sucks. But at the same time, how fun was it? I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I couldn’t have imagined a better place to finish off my career.”
The whole beach was in tears after that one.
Related: Carissa Moore Makes Tearful Retirement Speech at Surfing Olympics
Colin Jost Can’t Hang (But He’s a Surf Fanboy)
Photo: Dashel Pierson
Scarlett Johansson’s husband (and Saturday Night Live star) Colin Jost got the gig of a lifetime during the Paris 2024 Olympics – traveling to Tahiti to cover the surfing event. It was a curious choice from NBC, given that Jost is more well-known for his “Weekend Update” segment, but as it turns out, the comedian knew his stuff when it came to surf. (Although, he took off early from the event, perhaps from a nasty scrape on the reef.) Per our exclusive interview, Jost said:
“I’ve been surfing probably almost 20 years. I’m a pretty cautious surfer. I mostly longboard in Montauk. So, being here, I’ve been out surfing a few times. I was very lucky to go out with John John Florence and Carissa Moore at Bad Pass. It’s so much fun to go out and surf a faster reefbreak than I’m used to. I did okay! I only scraped up my leg a little bit.”
Related: Colin Jost Talks Olympic Surfing in Teahupo’o, Tahiti
An Olympic Venue Unlike Other
Photo: Ryan "Chachi" Craig
Tokyo 2020 2021 was…well, it wasn’t the best debut for surfing at the Olympics, the biggest sporting stage in the world. But the sequel event, Paris 2024, and the decision for Teahupo’o, Tahiti as the host site, made a huge difference in how the non-surfing world saw the sport. There was danger, excitement, viral moments, loads of action, and the literal threat of death.
In the years to come – like the Summer Olympics, LA 2028 – Teahupo’o will be tough to top.
“It’s definitely dangerous,” John John Florence told SURFER. “It was scary out there. There’s so much west in the swell, and when it’s like that, there’s so much power and energy in it. I’d imagine it’s one of the scariest sports in the whole Olympics…especially in these conditions.”
Related: Gallery: Intimate Moments from Surfing’s Historic Paris 2024 Olympics Finale
