The 2024 Summer Olympic Surfing Is Taking Place at Tahiti's 'Wall of Skulls': Inside the Dangerous Waters
At the 2024 Summer Olympic Games taking place in Paris, France, there’s one thing the Seine River can’t provide, and that’s killer waves. This year’s Olympic surfers will take to the French territory of Tahiti to take on the serious swells it provides and show their stuff out on the water, hoping to take home the gold. It may seem as though the surfing athletes have gotten the best deal of the Olympic Games; they get to enjoy the beach and nice weather (avoiding the rain in France), stay on a cruise ship and have a unique experience all their own, but the Games present a unique challenge.
Teahupo’o, the village in which the Paris 2024 surfing competition will occur, is rich in history. The name Teahupo’o itself has a few different translations — “pile of heads” or “Wall of Skulls” being a few of the most telling.
Legend has it that King Teahupo’o was murdered, and in retaliation, his son ate the brain of the son of his killer – but that’s a story for another day.
What is it like to surf in Tahiti’s Teahupo’o?
Teahupo’o, also known as “The End of the Road,” has become legendary, but for a while, it was the island’s best kept secret. It wasn’t until the ‘90s that surfing competitions began taking place there, but up until that point, it was only small clusters of the surf community – as well as bodyboarders – who knew the extent of its power.
With waves as high as 2-3 meters – roughly 6.5 to 10 feet – and reefs beneath, navigating these waters is not for the faint of heart. In fact, at the 2013 Billabong Pro Tahiti, the competition was put on pause because the waves were so intense.
For veteran surfers, however, there’s a mutual respect between themselves and the oceans that can’t be understood unless experienced.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
“We have all probably witnessed Mother Nature's power and Mother Nature's mana, as we say in Hawaii,” said Carissa Moore of Team USA to Yahoo Sports ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.
“You can't mess with that. It's very, very humbling. The minute that you don't respect Mother Nature, it's going to swipe you off your feet, because it'll be like, hey, no, you've got to take your time, pay your dues and be present…If you're not present, if you're not respectful, then you're not going to get that wave, and you're actually going to get really pounded.”
A similar sentiment is shared by the International Surfing Association (ISA), who was supportive holding the Olympic surfing events in Tahiti from the start.
"For us, Tahiti represents the authenticity of our sport and the ISA's mission to celebrate surfing's unique culture and lifestyle, while also recalling the long history and heritage of our sport from its Polynesian origins," ISA president Fernando Aguerre said of the location ahead of the Games. "Ultimately, our commitment is to the athletes and the sport and we have no doubt that Teahupo’o will offer an amazing platform for the world's best athletes to shine."
How have the people of Teahupo’o reacted to the Games?
While the residents of the village are extremely open to and appreciative of the surfing community, there was much pushback when it came to constructing new roads and houses ahead of the competition, especially when a barge holding construction materials did damage to a reef.
However, the community remains open to the surfers, even going so far as to offer their homes to some of the competitors. The competition is scheduled to last from July 17 to July 30 — Fingers crossed we can see Team USA bring home the gold!
Want more trending stories? Click through below!
Timothee Chalamet Is Bringing Bob Dylan’s Life to the Big Screen: Inside the Musician Biopic Film
A Bride’s Emotional First Look With Her Grandparents Before Her Wedding Is Going Viral: Watch Video
