Ryan "Chachi" Craig
This article was produced in partnership with Lexus.
If you were to paint a picture of an idyllic tropical setting, it could very easily be Tahiti. You’d blend rich greens for the lush island foliage. You’d mix together the teals, turquoise, and sea glass to depict those shimmery inner lagoons. On the outside, you’d dive into your midnights and navys to depict the deepest blues. And at the famed spot Teahupo’o, you’d be exhausting your entire pallet to draw attention to where the entire Pacific Ocean appears to stack up on itself up over a reef in a wonderfully terrifying display of Polynesian power.
Since France is hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics and Tahiti is technically a French protectorate, the event will be held here, at what is perhaps surfing’s ultimate arena.
Tahiti’s jagged geography is mirrored off its coast, with just as extreme shape underwater as on land. Beneath those gorgeous blues are the teeth of the roaring beast. Strong storms from deep in the Southern Hemisphere throw long-period energy into a 1,000-foot-deep trench before a gran final takes place on the reef. You want danger and drama on the world stage? Teahupo’o is the place. It almost makes riding a bike in a circle in Paris seem dull.
Ryan "Chachi" Craig
As one of the pioneering Tahitian riders Raimana Van Bastolaer once told me about Teahupo’o, “The drop is not the hardest part. It’s not being under the ledge. If you’re too far up and still paddling you’re going to get thrown over. You just have to commit mentally and be under the lip and ready to go for it.”
Teahupo’o was first ridden by bodyboarders and quickly became one of the most interesting waves in the world. The ASP held the Gotcha Pro here in 1998 and the Billabong Tahitian Pro became a perennial stop.
It was also a benchmark in the legacy of Andy Irons. A.I. didn’t pioneer the wave but he did progress the way it was ridden, taking off deeper and easing through its jaws in a way that no one had before. He won here in 2002 and just a few months before his death in 2010, again put up one of the most legendary victories ever. Famed rival, 11-time world champ Kelly Slater won here five times.
Ryan "Chachi" Craig
When the tour came through in 2011, with the surf world ready to pay homage to A.I., the event happened to coincide with the Code Red Swell, which produced the heaviest ever ridden waves up to that point. Freesurfer Nathan Fletcher, who’d become close with Andy, was towed into a four-story (both thick and high) behemoth, got caught in the foam ball and propelled forward before famously being swallowed by the Pacific.
A second Code Red swell materialized in July of 2022, giving a new generation of heavy water hellions a chance at even thicker Chopes.
Keala Kennelly showed the world that women had a place in big wave surfing with her statements at Teahu’poo. She was actually on the ASP Tour in 2006 the first time Teahupo’o hosted a women’s event and made the quarters. In 2019, she got whipped into what was considered the heaviest wave ever surfed by a female.
Ryan "Chachi" Craig
After 2006, there wasn’t a women’s tour event at Teahupo’o for another 16 years. Tatiana Weston-Webb took the win in its return in 2022 and Caroline Marks won last year on her way to a World Title. Both are medal contenders. Carissa Moore has taken 5th the last two years, won the gold in Japan and is no stranger to heavy water. (This reporter is not known for his odds making but keep an eye on Tyler Wright.)
Among the men, it’s really up for grabs. 2020 Olympic gold winner, Ferreira failed to qualify for the Games, as did 2022 Outerknown Tahiti Pro champ Miguel Pupo, three-time World Champ Gabriel Medina and five-time Tahiti Pro winner Kelly Slater.
Among those who have qualified, there’s really no one who has consistently stood atop the podium at Teahupo’o. Robinson won in 2023, and JJF would seem a likely favorite, but he’s never won here and missed more than a few Tahiti events while injured.
Ryan "Chachi" Craig
It wouldn’t be totally surprising to see lesser-known surfers on the podium. But a good litmus test will be the 2024 SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro set to start this week at this same gladiator pit.
The obvious winners will be the fans, who have a reason to care. They get to watch the surfing’s elite go left into destiny.
Men’s 2024 Olympic Qualifiers
- Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Jordy Smith (RSA) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Billy Stairmand (NZL) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Kauli Vaast (FRA) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Filipe Toledo (BRA) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Ethan Ewing (AUS) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Griffin Colapinto (USA) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- John John Florence (HAW) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Jack Robinson (AUS) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Matthew McGillivray (RSA) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- João Chianca (BRA) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Alan Cleland Jr. (MEX) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Reo Inaba (JPN) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Lucca Mesinas (PER) | 2023 Pan American Games
- Alonso Correa (PER) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Andy Criere (ESP) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Joan Duru (FRA) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Rio Waida (INA) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Tim Elter (GER) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
Women’s 2024 Olympic Qualifiers
- Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Johanne Defay (FRA) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Brisa Hennessy (CRC) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Teresa Bonvalot (POR) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Sarah Baum (RSA) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Shino Matsuda (JPN) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Saffi Vette (NZL) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Vahine Fierro (FRA) | 2023 ISA World Surfing Games
- Carissa Moore (HAW) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Tyler Wright (AUS) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Molly Picklum (AUS) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Caroline Marks (AUS) | 2023 WSL Championship Tour
- Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN) | 2023 Pan American Games
- Nadia Erostarbe (ESP) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Janire Gonzalez-Extabarri (ESP) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Sol Aguirre (PER) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Tainá Hinckel (BRA) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Yolanda Hopkins (POR) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Anat Lelior (ISR) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Camilla Kemp (GER) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games
- Siqi Yang (CHN) | 2024 ISA World Surfing Games