John John Florence and Carissa Moore are in for 2024 at Paris, er, Tahiti. Photo: WSL
John John Florence and Carissa Moore will again represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games, this time in 2024 at Tahiti. Which, it could be argued, is a much better venue for Florence to showcase his skills (and he’ll be healthy). Moore will be the defending Olympic champion having won in Tokyo.
Both qualified during the opening round of the Tahiti Pro at Teahupo’o yesterday. Florence won his heat while Moore lost, but got a win in the process in the form of qualification.
“I’m honored to be competing in the @olympics again next summer,” JJF wrote on Instagram. “I came to Tahiti for the first time when I was 13 years old, and it’s been one of my favorite places in the world ever since. Teahupo’o can be such a perfect wave. For this to be the Olympic venue where we all compete for a gold medal feels like an exciting moment for surfing! @teamusa.”
There are plenty of subplots in Tahiti. Spots in the Final Five are up for grabs as well as Olympic qualification. Griffin Colapinto had already qualified for the U.S. Caity Simmers and Caroline Marks are battling it out for the other Olympic U.S. seat on the women’s side. Qualification is a little convoluted but one of the basic ways is to finish top two in your country on the CT. Ethan Ewing (AUS), Filipe Toledo (BRA), and Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) are the other surfers to accomplish that thus far. Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Johanne Defay (FRA), Tatiana Weston Webb (BRA), Teresa Bonvalot (POR), and Tyler Wright (AUS) are in for the women. You can find a running tally of who’s in and who qualified through the ISA, here.
