Surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

🕓   9 min read

✏️   Updated on 2nd September 2022

Intro

Hi surfing friends, in today’s blog post I’ll be covering ‘Surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics’.

Whether you agreed with it or not, surfing made it’s official Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. So, to help all of you (and me) understand how it all worked… I put together this post so all the facts are one place.

Here’s a breakdown of the content we’re going to cover…

1. Surfing’s Olympic Journey
2. What Was The Qualification Process?
3. Where Did It Taking Place?
4. What Were The Competition Rules?
5. How Did The Heats Work?
6. How Was The Event Scored?
7. Who Competed?
8. What Was The Event Schedule?
9. Competition Results
10. How Can I Catch Up On The Event?
11. Olympics Debate

Let’s get into it!

 

1. Surfing’s Olympic Journey

Now, the below timeline does not in any way do justice to the huge amount of work done to get surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. But, it does give a quick overview of the key moments that made it happen…

• 1920’s – Suggested to be included in the Olympic Games by Duke Kahanamoku
• 1994 – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially recognised the International Surfing Association (ISA) as surfing’s international body
• 2013 – Thomas Bach responded positively to ISA President Fernando Aguerre proactive campaign to include surfing at the Olympics
• 2013 – Thomas Bach made President of IOC
• 2015 – Surfing unanimously voted to be included in 2019 Pan-American games in Peru
• 2016 – IOC decide to include surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
• 2019 – Surfing successfully staged at the Pan-American games in Peru
• 2020 – Olympics rescheduled for 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic
• 2021 – Surfing men’s and women’s competitive heats started on July 25th
• 2021 – Surfing men’s and women’s final aired on July 27th

It’s definitely who you know and not what you know. This was a dream of Fernando Aguerre’s for over 25 years and he made it a reality. His next task will be maintaining surfing’s status as an Olympic sport for future Olympic Games.

 

2. What was the qualification process?

Now, the qualification process was a lengthy affair with 2020 being a complete right-off. It’s also a bit complicated so feel free to skip this bit if you want.

Here were the rules to a successful qualification…only two surfers per gender per National Olympic Committee (NOC) are allowed to qualify. All qualifications are earned on an individual basis and surfers had to have participated in both the 2019 and 2021 ISA World Surfing Games.

The IOC guidelines used a hierarchical order to determine each competitors successful qualification. Let’s explain this with an example, if a surfer qualifies via their final place in the 2019 WSL Championship Tour (which has Priority 1 status in the hierarchical order shown below), that surfer cannot then qualify again via any following events from Priority 2-5.

To help you visualise, here is a brief timeline to give you an idea of when all this happened.

 

3. Where did it take place?

The event took place at Tsurigasaki Beach also known as Shidashita Beach. The beach is located on the South East coast of the nearby region Chiba. It’s around 50 miles outside of Toyko so was certainly one of the more remote sporting venues.

There was some speculation an artificial wave pool could be used for the venue. This would have guaranteed waves and meant that each competitor got the same wave, but the IOC decided against it.

 

4. What were the competition rules?

1. Each wave can only have one rider
2. The athlete with priority has the right of way
3. The competitor who has priority can lose their right of way if they do not proceed to ride the wave
4. Any interference with a competitor who has priority can result in an interference penalty and loss of points
5. Two interferences during a heat often leads to disqualification

 

5. How did the heats work?

Surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics adopted the same four-person heat method used throughout the competitive surfing world. For the Olympics this method consisted of four athletes competing at a time. Out of these four, only the best two will proceed to the next round.

The length of the heats lasted between 20-30 minutes. In World Surfing League (WSL) competitions, if no one catches a wave during the first 10 minutes of a heat, the judges have the power to restart the heat – but this is wsan’t the case in the Olympics. Only the two best rides from each competitor will count. The winners were determined by a panel of judges.

 

6. How was the event scored?

The scoring was based on both the type and difficulty of manoeuvres performed. However, speed, power and the general flow of each move was also taken into account.

The highest scores were scored on bigger waves. The competitors needed to provide variety and innovation to score well. There was certainly a focus of quality over quantity in this area. The scoring criteria used the following quality levels as a guideline;

0.0 – 1.9 = Poor
2.0 – 3.9 = Fair
4.0 – 5.9 = Average
6.0 – 7.9 = Good
8.0 – 10 = Excellent

Using this quality level structure, surfers could have achieved a perfect 20/20 from their best two waves. Scores of 20 are rare and unfortunately we didn’t see any in this Olympics due to some fairly poor conditions.

 

7. Who competed?

Here is the full least of competitors alongside their current WSL rank (if they have one).

20 Male Contenders

• 🇧🇷  Brazil – Gabriel Medina (1) & Italo Ferreira (2)
• 🇦🇺  Australia – Julian Wilson (17) & Owen Wright (20)
• 🇺🇸  USA  – John John Florence (10) & Kolohe Andino (38)
• 🇫🇷  France – Jeremy Flores (25) & Michel Bourez (29)
• 🇯🇵  Japan – Kanoa Igarashi (6) & Hiroto Ohhara
• 🇵🇪  Peru – Miguel Tudela (52) & Lucca Mesinas
• 🇮🇹  Italy – Leonardo Fioravanti (17)
• 🇦🇷  Argentina – Leandro Usuna
• 🇮🇩  Indonesia – Rio Waida
• 🇳🇿  New Zealand – Billy Stairmand
• 🇲🇦  Morroco – Ramzi Boukhiam
• 🇩🇪  Germany – Leon Glatzer
• 🇨🇱  Chile – Manuel Selman
• 🇨🇷  Costa Rica – Carlos Munoz

 

20 Female Contenders

• 🇺🇸  USA  – Carissa Moore (1) & Caroline Marks (6)
• 🇦🇺  Australia – Sally Fitzgibbons (3) & Stephanie Gilmore (5)
• 🇫🇷  France – Johanne Defay (2) & Pauline Ado
• 🇧🇷  Brazil – Tatiana Weston-Webb (4) & Silvana Lima
• 🇨🇷  Costa Rica – Brisa Hennessy (15) & Leilani McGonagle
• 🇯🇵  Japan – Amuro Tsuzuki (18) & Mahina Maeda
• 🇵🇹  Portugal – Yolanda Sequeria & Teresa Bonvalot
• 🇵🇪  Peru – Sofia Mulanovich & Daniella Rosas
• 🇪🇨  Ecuador – Dominic Barona
• 🇳🇿  New Zealand – Ella Williams
• 🇿🇦  South Africa – Bianca Buitendag
• 🇮🇱  Israel – Anat Lelio

 

8. What was the event schedule?

The competition took place between the 24th of July and the 26th July 2021. Here’s a full breakdown of the event schedule with UK times (GMT+1).

 

Round 1 – Saturday 24th July (11pm – 5.40am)

First two competitors qualify for Round 3, bottom two qualifiers have to surf again in Round 2.

Men’s Heat 1 – 11.00pm –  Ferreira 🇧🇷  / Fioravanti 🇮🇹  / Ohhara 🇯🇵  / Usuna 🇦🇷
Men’s Heat 2 – 11.40pm – Igarashi 🇯🇵  / Flores 🇫🇷  / Tudela 🇵🇪  / Stairmand 🇳🇿
Men’s Heat 3 – 12.20am – Andino 🇺🇸  / Wilson 🇦🇺  / Mesinas 🇵🇪  / Waida 🇮🇩
Men’s Heat 4 – 1.00am – Florence 🇺🇸  / Wright 🇦🇺  / Selman 🇨🇱  / Boukhiam 🇲🇦
Men’s Heat 5 – 1.40am – Medina 🇧🇷  / Bourez 🇫🇷  / Glatzer 🇩🇪  / Munoz 🇨🇷

Women’s Heat 1 – 2.20am – Moore 🇺🇸  / Bonvalot 🇵🇹  / Rosas 🇵🇪  / Barona 🇪🇨
Women’s Heat 2 – 3.00am – Fitzgibbons 🇦🇺  / Hennessy 🇨🇷  / Maeda 🇯🇵  / Buitendag 🇿🇦
Women’s Heat 3 – 3.40am – Gilmore 🇦🇺  / Lima 🇧🇷  / Ado 🇫🇷  / Lelior 🇮🇱
Women’s Heat 4 – 4.20am – Weston-Webb 🇧🇷  / Defay 🇫🇷 / Tsuzuki 🇯🇵  / Mulanovich 🇵🇪
Women’s Heat 5 – 5.00am – Marks 🇺🇸  / Hopkins 🇵🇹  / McGonagle 🇨🇷  / Williams 🇳🇿

 

Round 2 – Saturday 24th July (5.40am – 8.20am)

First three competitors qualify for Round 3, bottom two qualifiers are knocked out.

Men’s Heat 1 – 5.40am – Florence 🇺🇸  / Waida 🇮🇩  / Stairmand 🇳🇿  / Selman 🇨🇱  / Munoz 🇨🇷
Men’s Heat 2 – 6.20am – Usuna 🇦🇷  / Flores 🇫🇷  / Fioravanti 🇮🇹  / Wilson 🇦🇺  / Glatzer 🇩🇪

Women’s Heat 1 – 7.00am – Tsuzuki 🇯🇵  / Buitendag 🇿🇦  / Maeda 🇯🇵  /   McGonagle 🇨🇷  / Barona 🇪🇨
Women’s Heat 2 – 7.40am – Hopkins 🇵🇹  / Ado 🇫🇷  / Mulanovich 🇵🇪  / Lelior 🇮🇱  / Rosas 🇵🇪

 

Round 3 – Sunday 25th July (11pm – 8.36am)

First competitor from each heat qualifies for the quarter-finals, bottom qualifier is knocked out.

Women’s Heat 1 – 11.00pm – Gilmore 🇦🇺  / Buitendag 🇿🇦
Women’s Heat 2 – 11.36pm – Defay 🇫🇷  / Hopkins 🇵🇹
Women’s Heat 3 – 12.12am – Hennessy 🇨🇷  / Williams 🇳🇿
Women’s Heat 4 – 12.48am – Marks 🇺🇸  / Maeda 🇯🇵
Women’s Heat 5 – 1.24am – Moore 🇺🇸  / Mulanovich 🇵🇪
Women’s Heat 6 – 2.00am – Lima 🇧🇷  / Bonvalot 🇵🇹
Women’s Heat 7 – 2.36am – Weston-Webb 🇧🇷  / Tsuzuki 🇯🇵
Women’s Heat 8 – 3.12am – Fitzgibbons 🇦🇺  / Ado 🇫🇷

Men’s Heat 1 – 3.48am – Igarashi 🇯🇵  / Waida 🇮🇩
Men’s Heat 2 – 4.24am – Andino 🇺🇸  / Florence 🇺🇸
Men’s Heat 3 – 5.00am – Bourez 🇫🇷  / Boukhiam 🇲🇦
Men’s Heat 4 – 5.36am – Medina 🇧🇷  / Wilson 🇦🇺
Men’s Heat 5 – 6.12am – Ferreira 🇧🇷  / Stairmand 🇳🇿
Men’s Heat 6 – 6.48am – Ohhara 🇯🇵  / Tudela 🇵🇪
Men’s Heat 7 – 7.24am – Mesinas 🇵🇪  / Fioravanti 🇮🇹
Men’s Heat 8 – 8.00am – Wright 🇦🇺  / Flores 🇫🇷

 

Quarter-Finals – Monday 26th July (11pm – 3.48am)

First competitor from each heat qualifies for the semi-finals, bottom qualifier is knocked out.

Men’s Heat 1 – 11.00pm – Igarashi 🇯🇵  / Andino 🇺🇸
Men’s Heat 2 – 11.36pm – Bourez 🇫🇷  / Medina 🇧🇷
Men’s Heat 3 – 12.12am – Ferreira 🇧🇷  / Ohhara 🇯🇵
Men’s Heat 4 – 12.48am – Mesinas 🇵🇪  / Wright 🇦🇺

Women’s Heat 1 – 1.24am – Buitendag 🇿🇦  / Hopkins 🇵🇹
Women’s Heat 2 – 2.00am – Hennessy 🇨🇷  / Marks 🇺🇸
Women’s Heat 3 – 2.36am – Moore 🇺🇸  / Lima 🇧🇷
Women’s Heat 4 – 3.12am – Tsuzuki 🇯🇵  / Fitzgibbons 🇦🇺

 

Semi-Finals – Monday 26th July (3.48am – 6.12am)

First competitor from each heat qualifies for the gold medal match, bottom qualifier qualifies for the bronze medal match.

Men’s Heat 1 – 3.48am – Igarashi 🇯🇵  / Medina 🇧🇷
Men’s Heat 2 – 4.24 am – Ferreira 🇧🇷  / Wright 🇦🇺

Women’s Heat 1 – 5.00am – Buitendag 🇿🇦  / Marks 🇺🇸
Women’s Heat 2 – 5.36am – Moore 🇺🇸  / Tsuzuki 🇯🇵

 

Bronze Medal Match – Monday 26th July (6.16am – 7.46am)

Men’s Bronze Medal Match – 6.16am – Medina 🇧🇷  / Wright 🇦🇺
Women’s Bronze Medal Match – 7.01am – Marks 🇺🇸  / Tsuzuki 🇯🇵

 

Gold Medal Match – Monday 26th July (7.46am – 8.31am)

Men’s Gold Medal Match – 7.46am – Igarashi 🇯🇵  / Ferreira 🇧🇷
Women’s Gold Medal Match – 8.31am – Buitendag 🇿🇦  / Moore 🇺🇸

 

9. Competition Results

Here are the final results, the medallists for the first ever Men’s and Women’s surfing competition at the Olympics.

1. Gold – Ferreira 🥇 🇧🇷
2. Silver – Igarashi 🥈 🇯🇵
3. Bronze – Wright 🥉 🇦🇺

 

1. Gold – Moore 🥇 🇺🇸
2. Silver – Buitendag 🥈 🇿🇦
3. Bronze – Tsuzuki 🥉 🇯🇵

 

10. How Can I Catch Up On The Event?

UK residents can still catch up on the events that unfolded during the Olympic surfing using Discovery+.

 

Discovery+ Free Trial

This is now the only method to rewatch the historic events tha unfolded on Tsurigasaki beach.

Occasionally Discovery+ offer free trials to new customers on their Entertainment & Sports package. This is the package that streamed the Olympic surfing coverage live and will store highlights and full replays for a whole year (until 8th August 2022) now the Olympics has finished.

Signing up follows a standard customer journey similar to all the other free trials out there. The key thing to remember is to cancel the subscription before the free trial ends if you don’t want to get charged.

Check out their ‘Discovery+ Entertainment Package – Free Trial’ page for more info.

 

11. Olympics Debate

Now, we can’t go this far without talking about the divide surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has caused within the wider surfing community.

On the one hand; surfing at the Olympics was viewed as a good thing. Exposing surfers at the top of their game showed the world how surfing has progressed. Some of the people in this camp would probably have no problem calling surfing a sport.

On the other hand, surfing to some is a pastime – it can’t and shouldn’t be bound by competitions, rules and regulations. For many surfers (including myself), surfing is an escape that helps us literally and metaphorically get away from it all. I’d say this community would have no problem calling surfing a hobby.

I didn’t start surfing because I followed a sport, I started surfing because it was fun and I enjoyed being in the sea. But, all that being said – I tuned in for a number of the heats during the event and found it super interesting. I think I still view surfing as a hobby and pastime but now have a greater appreciation for those doing it at the highest level.

 

Summary

So that’s it guys, hopefully this post helped you through ‘Surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics’ and enjoyed its Olympic debut.

Let me know in the comments below if you watched any of the event yourself and what you thought of the whole thing. Also, feel free to vent your frustrations if you don’t think it should even be in the Olympics – be great to get both sides of the argument.

As always, be sure to follow on the usual socials below to keep up to date with the latest surfing content!

 

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Next read: ‘How To Remove Surfboard Wax’

 

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