Photo: Beatriz Ryder/WSL
On Wednesday, the International Surfing Association, the body responsible for getting surfing into the 2024 Paris Olympics, released the opening round heats that will kick off at Teahupo’o in two months’ time. Coincidentally, the ISA dropped the heats smack in the middle of WSL’s Championship Tour event in Tahiti, where it is absolutely pumping.
The event window goes from July 27 to August 4. The men’s and women’s fields each have 24 athletes, divided into eight three-person heats for the opening round. The winner of the first heat will move to the round of 16, while the bottom two will be sent to the repechage. After the first round, the rest of the heats will be one-on-one.
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These matchups should be an entertaining mix of QS journeymen, relative unknowns and world champions. One of the more eye-catching matchups in the first round is only all CT matchup of Tatiana Weston-Webb vs Molly Picklum vs Caity Simmers. That’s a 2024 Pipe Pro winner and event runner-up (No. 2 and 3 in the world, respectively) and one of the most consistent goofies on the tour. On the men’s side, Gabriel Medina vs Connor O’Leary vs Bryan Perez is sure to have fireworks. If it’s proper, all those guys will send it.
Related: Olympic Surfing 101: Everything to Know Before Paris 2024
If you want to catch up on all things Olympic surfing, read this comprehensive breakdown. Catch the full list below.
WOMEN’S OPENING ROUND HEATS
Heat 1: Yolanda Hopkins (POR), Caroline Marks (USA), Sarah Baum (RSA)
Heat 2: Sol Aguirre (PER), Janire Etxabarri (ESP), Vahine Fierro (FRA)
Heat 3: Anat Lelior (ISR), Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN), Tyler Wright (AUS)
Heat 4: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Molly Picklum (AUS), Caitlin Simmers (USA)
Heat 5: Johanne Defay (FRA), Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Candelaria Resano (NCA)
Heat 6: Tainá Hinckel (BRA), Camila Kemp (GER), Luana Silva (BRA)
Heat 7: Nadia Erostarbe (ESP), Siqi Yang (CHN), Saffi Vette (NZL)
Heat 8: Carissa Moore (USA), Teresa Bonvalot (POR), Matsuda Shino (JPN)
MEN’S OPENING ROUND HEATS
Heat 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Tim Elter (GER), Jordy Smith (RSA)
Heat 2: Joan Duru (FRA), Jack Robinson (AUS), Matthew McGillivray (RSA)
Heat 3: Alonso Correa (PER), Filipe Toledo (BRA), Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)
Heat 4: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Connor O’Leary (JPN), Bryan Perez (ESA)
Heat 5: Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Billy Stairmand (NZL), João Chianca (BRA)
Heat 6: Andy Criere (ESP), John John Florence (USA), Alan Cleland (MAR)
Heat 7: Kauli Vaast (FRA), Lucca Mesinas (PER), Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Heat 8: Rio Waida (INA), Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Inaba Reo (JPN)
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