Photo: ISA
Today marked the close of competition for the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Gabriel Medina and Sally Fitzgibbons claimed individual titles, while Brazil won the overall event for both men and women. The final days also locked in the remaining Olympic qualification slots available via the event.
Photo: ISA
The men’s final came down to a heat between Gabriel Medina (BRA), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Kauli Vaast (FRA) and Joan Duru (FRA). Medina won with a standout 9.00 score, bolstered by a 7.40, for a 16.40 total. Medina’s path to the gold medal podium was decisive, with the surfer going undefeated in every single one of his heats. The win was also the deciding factor in the overall men’s rankings, placing Brazil just 41 points ahead of France.
“I didn’t know if my spot was going to come, but I just tried to give my best. [If] I don’t go, someone else is going to go and that’s it, we are a team. I think everyone was in that spirit, so that helps a lot,” said Medina in a post-heat interview. “I want to thank all the Brazilian team that worked really hard behind the scenes as well. That was amazing.”
Photo: ISA
The final women’s heat was between Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Johanne Defay (FRA), and Nadia Erostarbe (ESP). Fitzgibbons beat out Weston-Webb by just 0.86. It was a close heat overall, with only a 1.10 difference between first and third place. This marks Fitzgibbons’ fourth ISA win, giving her the most championships in the event’s history.
“I just like being out there with the crew I’ve surfed with the last however many years in my career and going toe to toe,” said Fitzgibbons afterwards. “I just keep that belief and trust in my surfing and just try to get that wave at the right moment at the right time. It feels amazing. I’m just so proud to be Australian.”
Photo: ISA
For the overall team rankings, Brazil won both the men’s and women’s events, landing them two additional spots on their Paris 2024 Olympic team. This brings the total number of Brazilian team members to six, the highest of any country going into the Olympic surfing event.
The final days of competition also locked in more individual Olympic qualifiers. Men’s slots went to Rio Waida (INA), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR), Joan Duru (FRA), Tim Elter (GER), Andy Criere (ESP) and Alonso Correa (PER). Meanwhile, the women’s qualifications went to Anat Lelior (ISR), Camilla Kemp (GER), Janire Gonzalez-Extabarri (ESP), Siqi Yang (CHN), Sol Aguirre (PER), Taina Hinckel (BRA) and Yolanda Sequeira (POR).
Though we can most likely expect to see these surfers at the games, it is worth noting that these qualifications are technically provisional. “National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games,” explains Olympics.com, “Athletes’ participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.”
