For months at the heart of tensions between the authorities, the organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the local populations, the Polynesian president finally announced that the surfing event would be maintained at the Teahupo’o site.
The Polynesian president announced Sunday in Tahiti (Monday in Paris) that the surfing event of the 2024 Olympic Games would be able to be maintained on the Teahupo’o site, for months at the heart of tensions between the authorities, the organizers of the Olympics and local populations. “The solution that we managed to get adopted this evening allows the Olympics to be held here and for the WSL (World Surf League) to maintain an annual stage of the world tour,” rejoiced Moetai Brotherson to AFP at the outcome of a meeting with environmental associations.
Broken coral
The replacement of a wooden tower with an aluminum structure for the judges has been a source of tension for months. During technical tests on December 1, a barge planned for the installation of this new tower broke coral, pushing the Polynesian government to pause the work.
But Moetai Brotherson presented on Sunday a work schedule which should result in a functional tower on May 13, a few days before the WSL world tour stop. This competition will serve as a test before the Olympic Games in July.
The Polynesian president was delighted to have obtained the “unanimous support of all the mayors, the surfing federation and even the associations, apart from one, and a surfer, who thinks he represents the surfing community”.