TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti (AP) — With the ceremonial blow of a conch shell and blare of a judge’s horn, the third day of the Paris Olympics surfing competition in Tahiti began on Monday with the men’s surfers going head-to-head, some reaching the end of the road in their quest for gold.
Stunning waves and steady swells in the morning heats brought a fresh surge of energy to competitors and spectators, after Sunday’s lackluster conditions, while conditions rapidly tapered around midday due to a storm, postponing the women’s afternoon competition.
“Today is probably gonna be one of the most exciting days … there’s some serious waves out there,” said Jordy Smith from South Africa, who lost to Peru’s Alonso Correa in the day’s first heat. “I got pounded a couple of times.”
Coming out of a barrel and riding across a wall of nearly 10-foot cerulean blue water, French Polynesian surfer Kauli Vaast raised his arms to the air, an enormous smile on his face as he cruised to victory in his heat, knocking out Griffin Colapinto from the United States.
“I just came out, after a great ride, great takeoff and great wave,” Vaast said. “That one felt good, and I was just too happy and and enjoying the moment.”
Colapinto’s loss was the first for the U.S. team during the Paris Olympics surfing competition, after the entire team won their heats the first day of competition thus directly qualifying for Monday’s round. John John Florence from the U.S. was also eliminated from the competition.
Brazil also suffered its first surfer being knocked out of the competition, after Filipe Toledo lost to Japan’s Reo Inaba.
Gabriel Medina from Brazil made Olympic history on the waves, receiving the highest score in Olympic surfing history — a 9.9, just shy of a perfect 10. After the ride he launched himself into the air, raising his right arm and pointing towards the sky in a gravity-defying moment.
At times water safety patrol staff on jet skis pulled surfers from the water after their rides, towing them to calmer waters before jetting them back out to the wave.
“It’s really dangerous out there. It’s super shallow … you can see the corals,” Medina said after his win against Kanoa Igarashi from Japan.
On land, emotions ran high. Expletives were commonly heard from losing surfers coming back to shore. Broken boards, snapped from the power of the waves, were laid on the ground and inspected by teams shaking their heads. Staff of opposing teams going head-to-head whistled in awe and clapped at their opponents rides, marveling as surfers reappeared from being inside heavy barrels of water.
Blustery winds swept in around midday, turning the surf conditions sour, marring the mens’ final heats and causing the women’s competition being postponed.
Monday was the last men’s competition day before the quarterfinals, semifinals and gold medal heats take place on the fourth and final day of competition.
Correa from Peru, Inaba from Japan, Joan Duru and Vaast from France, Joao Chianca and Medina from Brazil, Ethan Ewing and Jack Robinson from Australia all qualified to compete in the final day of the men’s competition.
The rest of the competition functions as a single-elimination, head-to-head bracket. Each heat will feature two surfers, with the winner advancing to the final stage of competition: the quarterfinals, semifinals and final gold medal heat.
The next competition day will be determined after officials assess wave conditions.
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