The Olympic Games Paris 2024 kicked off to a spectacular start for Team USA’s surfing contingent, who demonstrated exceptional skill and dominance on the first day of competition. All five American surfers conquered the challenging waves at the renowned Teahupo’o in Tahiti, each securing a heat win and advancing directly to Round 3. The powerful performances underscored the United States’ strong presence in Olympic surfing and set a high bar for the remainder of the event.
Caroline Marks from Melbourne Beach, Florida, delivered a commanding performance in Heat 1, achieving the highest score of the day across both men’s and women’s divisions, a remarkable 17.93. Marks soared ahead of her competitors, Yolanda Hopkins of Portugal and Sarah Baum of South Africa, by a significant 9.46 points. Her fifth and final wave was the highlight, earning a 9.43, the highest single wave score in the women’s competition thus far. Marks expressed enthusiasm about the supportive atmosphere within Team USA, noting its contribution to their collective success. “Everyone’s just been so positive and so excited to be here,” Marks shared. “It’s really rare to stay with your other competitors – it’s a very individual sport. I think we’re just having a lot of fun and feeding off of each other. And even though we are all individually here to win our medals, we’re all backing each other and supporting each other…We’re all just really enjoying it because it’s so rare for us.”
In another thrilling women’s heat, Caity Simmers of Oceanside, California, emerged victorious against a formidable lineup including Tatiana Weston-Webb of Brazil and Molly Picklum of Australia. Simmers secured her win with a score of 12.93, outpacing Weston-Webb by 2.60 points. At just 18 years old, Simmers, the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic surfing team, showcased remarkable composure in her Olympic debut. “You can kind of put it in your head as this huge, big thing. But I don’t I don’t think it really helps anything to do that,” Simmers explained. “So it’s just reminding myself that it’s just another contest even though it is a big important thing. But the more I think that, the more weight I put on it, and then that’s never good for me. So I’m just going out there as if it’s anything else.”
Carissa Moore (Honolulu, Hawaii), the reigning Olympic Champion, closed out the women’s heats with a masterclass performance. Moore strategically saved her best for last, scoring her two highest waves within the final three minutes of her heat. Her total of 16.50 points surpassed Shino Matsuda of Japan by 5.34 points, with Teresa Bonvalot of Portugal finishing third. Moore highlighted the team’s synergistic energy as a key factor in their strong start. “I can’t wait to go back and relish in today and the success that everybody had because it was truly pretty special,” Moore stated. “I feel like we’ve been the good vibe tribe like everybody’s just been really supportive and encouraging of each other…Watching everyone win by win, I was like, damn, I’m the last heat of the day, I have to close this out for us…I’m happy to be part of just that greatness. So it’s really motivating and inspiring.”
The men’s competition saw equally impressive results for Team USA, with John John Florence (Haleiwa, Hawaii) and Griffin Colapinto (San Clemente, California) achieving the two highest scores of the day in their respective heats. Florence dominated Heat 6 with a score of 17.33, defeating Andy Criere of Spain and Alan Cleland Quinonez of Mexico. “It’s so cool to be representing where I’m from, representing America and Hawaii and come and get into the heat and start feeling really good and excited and energized,” Florence remarked. “I think I just got into that, and I was just excited the waves were flying. I don’t know. I feel in a really good place right now.”
Colapinto continued the American dominance in Heat 7, scoring 17.03 to win against local favorite Kauli Vaast of France and Luca Mesinas of Peru. Colapinto also achieved the highest single wave score in the men’s division with an exceptional 9.53 points. “I did the best heat I’ve ever done at Chopes for me, so just that alone feels really good,” said Colapinto. “And then as a team it’s really cool to see John put up big scores right before me, and that inspired me a lot. We’ve been bonding on this trip more than ever. So yeah, it’s cool to feel that come into the contest and see both of us perform well today.”
Team USA’s surfers have showcased exceptional prowess at Teahupo’o, Tahiti, the location chosen for Olympic surfing in the Paris 2024 Games. Their first-day performance not only highlights their individual talents but also the strong team dynamic and supportive environment fostered within the American contingent. With their automatic advancement to Round 3, they bypass Round 2, allowing them to conserve energy and prepare strategically for the next stage of the competition. The event window spans ten days, accommodating the four-day competition schedule and allowing for flexibility based on wave conditions at this world-renowned surfing location. Fans and enthusiasts can follow the official updates, start lists, and calls on Olympics.com.
TEAM USA RESULTS
John John Florence: 1st in Heat 6; 17.33 points (9.33, 8.00)
Griffin Colapinto: 1st in heat 7; 17.03 points (9.53, 7.50)
Caroline Marks: 1st in Heat 1; 17.93 (9.43, 8.50
Caity Simmers: 1st in Heat 4; 12.93 (6.50, 6.43)
Carissa Moore: 1st in Heat 8; 16.50 (9.00, 7.50)
Full results from the Olympic Games Paris 2024 can be found here.
For media inquiries, please contact Katie Branham, 2024 U.S. Olympic Surfing Press Officer, at [email protected] or +1 719-237-9407.
