This week we celebrated National Olympic Day, a day designed to commemorate and celebrate the birth of the modern Olympic Games. The modern Olympic Games were first held on June 23, 1894 in Paris. We all were anxiously awaiting the introduction of surfing to this year’s Olympic games in Tokyo. Unfortunately, we will have to wait another year to see some of the surfing greats make history. Here’s what to expect when surfing makes it debut as an Olympic sport at the 2021 Olympic Games.

Team USA Members

Team USA is composed of four members, two male surfers and two female surfers. The male team is composed of Kolohe Andino and John John Florence, and the female team is composed of Carissa Moore and Caroline Marks. Let’s take a deeper look at each of these athletes.

Kolohe Andino

Kolohe was the first surfer to qualify for Team USA. He earned his position in October 2019, before the season officially ended. Kolohe is a native of San Clemente. CA and the son of a pro surfer. Kolohe holds the record for most titles for a boys under 18 with seven USA Surfing Champion titles and nine National Scholastic Surfing Association championships. He is widely known as one of the most entertaining surfers to watch and is aggressive and progressive with his style.

John John Florence

If you follow our blog, you know we have written a lot about John John Florence. He is one of the most well known surfers in modern times. John John is a two time world champion and a native of North Shore, Oahu. John John can be described as the “comeback kid” after missing half of the season due to an ACL injury and coming back to provisionally qualify for the Olympics. He held on to one of two top US spots and returned to compete in the WSL’s final event of the season, the Pipe Masters. John John’s surfing style can be described as effortless and pure athleticism.

Carissa Moore

Carissa Moore is the youngest person ever to win a surfing world title and the first woman to compete in Hawaii’s Triple Crown of Surfing. The Triple Crown of Surfing is Hawaii’s most prestigious contest series and prior to Carissa’s participation, included only males. Carissa is currently the number one surfer in the world and a four-time World Champion from Honolulu, HI. She’s earned 11 National Scholastic Surfing Association’s amateur titles. Carissa is known for her power and finesse. She exudes confidence and is a role model to young girls in sports,

Caroline Marks

Caroline Marks was the youngest surfer to ever qualify for World Surfing League Championship Tour at just 15 years old. Her performance on the tour was so strong she earned the Rookie of the Year title. Caroline also won the gold medal at the 2016 ISA World Junior Surfing Championships Girls Under 16 division. Marks is a native of Melbourne Beach, FL and started surfing at just eight years old.

Early Olympic Controversy

The USA Team, male and female, is very strong and is a serious contender for winning the Olympics, but it is not that simple. The best surfer does not always win in surfing since it is also dependent on conditions. During a normal year on the World Tour, there are normally 10 locations, all with different types and sizes of waves. These waves will suit some surfers better than others, but ultimately the most well versed and talented surfer wins. 

Here is where there is controversy: should the contest be in the ocean or a man-made wave pool? The committee decided to run in the ocean. 

The contest will be at “Shidashita Beach”, or “Shida,” located about 40 miles outside of Tokyo in Chiba. Generally during the summer months, Shida gets waves anywhere from 2-4 feet, with larger surfer towards the end of the summer with typhoon swells. Everyone is hoping for solid surf, but it is possible the conditions will be far from ideal. Due to this, it is possible the best surfers will not win, and luck will play an important role. Who ever gets the best wave will likely win. 

Many argue having the venue at a pool would make it a more fair playing field, having consistent good waves and truly display the world's best skills. It was at one point rumored that Kelly Slater was building a wave pool in Japan.

Besides having a fair playing, having good waves for Olympic surfing’s debut would help the sport and showcase what surfing is all about. It would be more entertaining to watch and help legitimize the sport. 

You can stay up to date with the latest news surrounding the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo and surfing by visiting https://www.usasurfing.org/ and by following Team USA’s blog here: https://medium.com/@usasurfteam.