The president of the International Surfing Association (ISA), Fernando Aguerre, announced on Wednesday that the third round of women’s surfing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been postponed due to weather conditions at Teahupo’o, Tahiti, not meeting safety and performance standards.
“The conditions are not right. A strong wind arrived, followed by waves and then wind again, which chops and breaks the swell. It takes hours, sometimes a day or two, for the swell to stabilize and settle, and that is what we want to protect the athletes from risk”, the official explained, as reported on the official Olympic Games website. He described the situation as part of the sport’s emotional nature, noting that it is not a precise science. “Surfing blends science and art; it is about forecast and the people who guide us know this field extremely well”, Aguerre added.
Regarding the plan to resume competition after three consecutive days of suspension, he said the wind is easing and, in the meantime, “people can take another rest day.” He emphasized that athletes should be given time to recover after a challenging Monday, pointing out that mistakes happen and that competing here in Teahupo’o carries a higher level of risk than in many other locations. “We want to keep the athletes safe. That remains the top priority, followed by the spectacle and the competition”, he stressed.
A decision about the next day, tentatively set for around 17:45 Tahiti time (03:45 GMT on Thursday), was described as forthcoming, with Aguerre noting that the team is in constant contact throughout the day. “It feels like being a parent in a clinic or hospital, waiting for news from the operating room”, he said.
The Olympic surfing schedule has built-in buffers, with days reserved through August 5 to accommodate weather-related disruptions of this kind. The postponement underscores the reality that extreme conditions can shape the flow of events in high-level surfing, even as athletes, organizers, and fans await clearer forecasts and safer seas.