Olympic Surfing – When did surfing start in the Olympics? All the facts and details
Surfing is a water sport in which athletes ride the waves using a board. They usually stand, sit or maintain any position on the board while performing maneuvers on the waves. It is an exciting sport with deep roots and rich history. However, it took many years for the sport to gain recognition in international competitions. So when did surfing enter the Olympic?
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In 2016, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) raised surfing to the level of competition. Surfers and fans who have long been waiting for the opportunity to see this sport at the tournament have attracted attention. According to sources, there are over 25 million surfers in the world. So what year did surfing start competing in the Olympics? First, let’s understand what sport is.
This is one of the most extreme sports where surfers ride the waves in the sea or ocean while standing or lying on a surfboard. This sport originated in the Southern Hemisphere in ancient times. It started as a hobby before becoming an official sport in 1920.
So when did surfing become an Olympic sport? Here are the details of surfing at the Olympics, when did it appear and who introduced it?
When was surfing introduced to the Olympic?
On August 3, 2016, the IOC members unanimously approved the proposal to include surfing in the program of the Summer Games. So when did surfing become part of the Olympics? The decision was made two years before the Tokyo 2020 games, which means that the debut in the competition had to wait quite a long time.
Was surfing in the 2016 Olympic?
Although the IOC introduced the sport in 2016, it was only introduced in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. So, when did surfing appear in the Olympics? Surfers competed for the first time at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Instead, new sports were introduced to Rio de Janeiro: golf, rugby sevens, and kitesurfing. While golf and rugby returned to competition, kitesurfing made its debut.
How was surfing added to the Olympic?
The IOC introduced the sport to the games, which usually determine the events that qualify for the competition. The IOC recognizes world famous games that are governed by International Federations (IFs) and adhere to the codes and ethical standards established by that organization. Surfing has crossed the threshold along with karate, skateboarding and sport climbing, debuting in Tokyo in 2020.
Since when is surfing an Olympic sport?
It became an Olympic sport in August 2016. However, he did not compete in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games. The sport debuted at the Tokyo 2020 competition. Surfers competed for gold, silver and bronze medals at Tsurigasaki Beach, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
Italo Ferreira and Carissa Moore are the first Olympic champions in surfing. Ferreira, a Brazilian surfer, dived into the churning and unpredictable water to win the top prize in the men’s category. Moore of the USA made her victory easy by taking gold in the women’s category. Here is a breakdown of the Tokyo 2020 medalists.
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Scoring in Olympic Surfing
The event has a panel of five judges who analyze each surfer’s performance before awarding a score. According to the rules of the game, surfers rate each wave on a scale from one to ten with two decimal places. Here are the details on how points work.
- The highest and lowest scores from the judges for each wave are usually discarded; therefore, the surfer gets the average of the three remaining scores.
- Judges combine the two highest scoring waves into a grand total.
- The rider can also catch as many waves as possible with no limit on the number. The duration of each race can vary from 20 to 35 minutes.
- It usually depends on the conditions.
- Perfect trip – 10 points; therefore, a perfect run is a total score of 20 points.
Judging criteria in Olympic Surfing
The jury uses five criteria when scoring riders. The formula reflects the basic elements of the sport. They are:
- Commitment and degree of difficulty
- Innovative and progressive maneuvers
- Variety of maneuvers
- Combination of basic maneuvers
- Speed, power and flow
Who introduced surfing to the Olympic?
Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku was the first to advocate for the inclusion of the sport in the Olympic Games in 1920. Kahanamoku is a three-time Olympic champion freestyle swimmer, known for popularizing surfing.
What year did surfing become an Olympic sport?
Kahanamoku competed for the sport in the 1920s and it took a century to make it to the 2020 Olympics. Over the years, this sport has developed and spread to many countries. Now this is one of the most exciting developments in upcoming games.
Olympic 2024
Paris will host the Summer Games, featuring 32 sports and over 300 events. Surfing is one of the most anticipated competitions and is expected to attract millions of spectators. It will have two categories; Shortboard for men and shortboard for women. The activities will take place at Teahupo’o, a surf spot with beautiful breathtaking waves.
Is surfing in the 2032 Olympics?
At the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, surfing will be an official sport. The event will take place on the Gold Coast, the most famous surf spot in Australia. Four events will be in the men’s and women’s categories; shortboard, longboard, paddleboard and bodyboard.
Olympic Surfing legend Kelly Slater aiming for Paris 2024 before retiring
The 11-time world champion from America was a reserve for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but wants to make it through the Olympic qualification one more time to end his storied career. Kelly Slater, an 11-time world surfer, will retire from the sport in 2024 but aims to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics before hanging up her board.
“If I get to the Olympics, I will end my career in the Olympics, he told The Guardian.”
Slater will turn 52 at the Games in July 2024. He was a reserve for Team USA for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where surfing made its debut at the Games. At the Olympic Paris, surfing will take place at Teahupo’o in Tahiti, where the American has won five World Surf League (WSL) championship titles.
“The qualifying process is going to be tough, but if I can make it to the Olympics, the venue is Tahiti – this wave really suits my strengths. So if I can get there, I think I have a really good chance of a medal, but to be honest, I think the hardest thing is going to be getting there.”
Paris will host 24 surfers each in the men’s and women’s events in 2024, with 10 places awarded to the top male surfers in the 2023 WSL season. Additional seats are available for athletes who qualify for the ISA World Games of Surfing.
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