2024 Paris Olympics: Surfing in the South Seas

Only a few days to go until international surf stars show off their skills on the legendary waves off the coast of Tahiti in pursuit of Olympic gold. "The nerves and the excitement — it's all building," said Australian surfer Molly Picklum, 21, (pictured above) after training at Teahupo'o.

The arena for the 2024 Olympic Games' surfing contest is around 16,000 kilometers (some 9,900 miles) from Paris in Teahupo'o, the south coast of the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. Waves here break over a coral reef and wipeouts can be dangerous. It has been described as one of the scariest surf breaks in the world.

Many professional surfers, like the Frenchman Kauli Vaast, 22, (pictured) are familiar with the challenging waves of Teahupo'o. The Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o is part of the world pro circuit and takes place there every year.

Surfing is a young Olympic discipline and was first included at Tokyo in 2021. This year, 48 surfers will compete and many, including US surfer Griffin Colapinto, 25, (pictured) arrived in Tahiti earlier this week to train. Hundreds of spectators are also expected for the contest, which runs from July 27 through August 5.

Judges will watch the surfers from a steel tower in Teahupo'o lagoon. The tower has been the subject of environmental concerns: at first, it was supposed to be bigger and have support legs drilled into the coral reef. At previous events, a wooden tower was used. After much criticism, including from surfers and locals, the size of the tower was reduced.

One of the ultimate goals of every surfer is to get a "barrel" — that is, to surf into the tunnel of water that forms as a wave folds over. While tricks and turns will gain surfers points, getting a barrel is still considered one of the ultimate moves. Here, Brazilian Joao Chianca, 23, shows how it's done. There has been debate over whether aerial tricks or barrels should get more points.

The Aranui 5 usually cruises between the islands of French Polynesia and is a mixture of freighter and cruise ship. But for the duration of the Olympics, it will be anchored off Tahiti and serve as accommodation for athletes and teams. But there wasn't enough space for everyone, and some surfers will stay in the family-run guesthouses used during the Tahiti Pro.

For Vahine Fierro, 24, the waves of Tahiti are a home game. She was born in Uturoa in French Polynesia on an island just 250 kilometers from Tahiti. Together with Kauli Vaast, she will be competing for France. She won the Junior World Championships in 2017 and is considered a French medal hope.