The Typhoon Games
Thursday 23 January 2020 Teahupo'o will host the surfing for the French Olympic Games in 2024, and Japan will find it hard to match that this year, and to think, they once ruled Indo. Imagine that, writes Spike.
THIS IS A WAVE: Carlos Nogales, Chopes in 2015. Photo Tim McKenna / Red Bull Content Pool
Sadly for Japan, host of the 2020 Olympics later this year, most of their colonial conquests had to be handed back to their owners after WWII. Imagine if they'd hung on to Indo! Yes, Imperial Japan ruled the Dutch East Indies, or Indonesia, between March 1942 until after the war in September 2945. Imagine surfing's first Olympics being held in eight foot Kandui?
Ag shame man. Now they only have Tsurigasaki beach in Ichinomiya, Chiba Prefecture, southeast of Tokyo.
The Japanese Games might struggle to match Chopes this year for quality and power, after the Paris 2024 Olympic organisers decided that the spot, which of course lies in their territory (French Polynesia), will host surfing's second appearance in the Olympics.
OVER THE TOP: Tanner Gudauskas surfs in a QS event at Tsurigasaki. Photo WSL / Bennett
It makes sense. We're in a digital age and what better way to showcase surfing through the media as the best surfers pigdog through gut-curdling pristine tubes? This will certainly beat scratching about in brown 2-3' slop at Tsuirgasaki.
However, there is a glimmer of hope for Japan. The 2020 Olympics - from July 24 to August 9 - will be held at the beginning of the North Pacific tyhoon season, so there is a chance of waves, although most of the storm action in 2019 that influenced the Rugby World Cup (two games were cancelled due to Super Typhoon Hagabis) took place quite a bit later (mid-October).
"The WSL is delighted that Paris 2024 has decided that the long-time WSL Championship Tour location of Teahupo'o in Tahiti has been chosen as the competition venue for the 2024 Olympics Games," Sophie Goldscmidt, WSL CEO, said. "This still needs to be validated by the IOC."
IF ONLY: Imagine these waves at the Olympics. Photo Brian Bielmann/Red Bull Content Pool
"The Olympics is a great platform for surfing to be exposed to new audiences and for our surfers to represent their countries in a unique way. That the 2024 Games are electing to showcase the sport of surfing at one of the WSL's most iconic locations in Tahiti is exciting news. We look forward to continuing to work with the ISA, the IOC, Tokyo 2020 and now Paris 2024 to ensure that surfing is a fantastic success at the Olympics."
While the Paris 2024 Olympic organisers have approved surfing and the location of Teahupo'o for the Olympic Games, the IOC will validate this approval soon.
BIG O RING: This would be a bit big for the Olympics! Photo Tim McKenna / Red Bull Content Pool