Second Paris Olympics event POSTPONED just hours before start time and after triathlon already delayed
SURFING has become the second event to be postponed in a matter of hours at the Paris Olympics due to adverse weather conditions.
The men’s quarter-finals, women’s quarter-finals and men’s semi-finals were due to take place from 6pm BST on Tuesday evening.
But they have now been pushed back in another blow to French organisers as storms strike the Pacific island of Tahiti where the surfing is taking place.
The triathlon had already been postponed earlier on Tuesday morning due pollution concerns in the River Seine.
Surfing Association technical director Erik Kramer confirmed the latest Olympic delay in a short statement.
He said: “The competition is OFF tomorrow 30/07/2024 7.00am GMT+10 with a colour code of RED.
“Technical delegates decision on colour code tendancies for the next session is expected on 30/07/2024 at 17.45 GMT+10.”
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How is Olympic surfing scored and why is it in Tahiti?
How is it scored?
A panel of five judges scores rides out of 10 points and a surfer’s best two waves are combined to give a total out of 20.
Points can be deducted if they get an interference – such as getting in the way of another surfer who has priority.
There are no particular points for a given manoeuvre, but taking on the biggest, most intense waves and riding inside the barrel – where the wave breaks – for the longest time will score favourably.
Why is it in Tahiti?
While nearly every other sport is being competed over in Paris, the European climate and glaring lack of a beach means this event has been outsourced to a warmer part of the world.
France’s surfing beaches are usually flat in the summer, while Tahiti, located in French Polynesia, has huge swells out of the south Pacific throughout the southern hemisphere winter which then hits the reefs at Teahupo’o, creating stunning waves perfect for the Olympics.