Tahiti to host 2024 Olympics surfing, 15,000km away from hosts Paris

The Polynesian island of Tahiti has been chosen to host the surfing events at the 2024 Paris Olympics after being selected over beaches in southwest France and Brittany, organizers said on Thursday.

Tahiti lies 15,700 kilometers (9,750 miles) from Paris but was chosen because it offers near-guaranteed surfing waves in the summer months.


The events will take place at Teahupoo, a location that boasts some of the biggest waves on the men’s World Cup circuit.

“It’s an extremely pleasant surprise and recognition for our history that will restore honor to Polynesia, where surfing began,” the president of Tahiti’s surfing federation, Lionel Teihotu, told AFP.


According to the 2024 organizing committee there was no difference in the cost or environmental impact of the four possible venues.

Tahiti was preferred on “sporting grounds” — a survey by Meteo France, the French meteorological center, suggests that Teahupoo offers a greater likelihood of good surfing waves during the summer months, the Paris local organizing committee said.

The choice of Teahupoo is controversial because it does not currently feature on the women’s world circuit. The waves there are currently considered to be too dangerous for women surfers.

Organizers said they would get round the problem of hosting the Olympic women’s surfing events with careful scheduling.

“We can put the women on at a time of the day when the waves are less powerful,” Teihotu said. “We have ways of planning that now and it will allow women to also surf at Teahupoo.”

Disappointment
The choice of Tahiti has not gone down well with the other venues who bid to host the surfing although the decision did not appear to come as a great surprise.

“We realized over the weeks that Tahiti had the whip hand, we are not completely surprised,” said Landes spokesman Philippe Courtesseyre.


The town of Lacanau and its partner Bordeaux questioned the idea of staging the surfing so far from Paris.

“This decision is very surprising as the late application of Tahiti is at the opposite end of the values that we expect for this kind of event, such as the carbon footprint, the hosting, the associated costs, the legacy,” they said in a statement.

Biarritz, one of the most popular spots for surfers anywhere in Europe, said it would not give up hope of hosting the event until the International Olympic Committee had agreed.

“This is not a final decision,” Biarritz spokesman Laurent Ortiz told AFP.

“It is the proposal of the organizing committee. So we will remain an active candidate until the beginning of January.

“As long as nothing is finalized, we will keep hope.”

Organizers also approved the choice of Place de la Concorde in Paris to host the five ‘urban’ sports — skateboarding, BMX Freestyle, breakdancing, 3×3 basketball and climbing.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Teenage surfer bitten by small shark in Australia

SYDNEY— A teenage girl sustained minor wounds when she was bitten by a small shark on Friday while surfing off the Australian east coast, police said.

The 13-year-old girl was surfing off Avoca Beach, 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Sydney, when she was bitten on the left ankle by a 1-meter (3.5-foot) shark, police said in a statement.

She sustained puncture wounds to her foot and a cut to her calf. The girl made her way to shore and was treated on scene by bystanders, who then drove her to a hospital. She was in stable condition, police said.

Police did not release the girl’s name or identify the type of shark.

Life guards advised beachgoers to avoid entering the water near Avoca Beach.

Two weeks ago, a surfer had part of his arm torn off by a suspected 4-meter (13-foot) great white shark while surfing off the coast of Western Australia state near the town of Esperance.

Although sharks are common in Australian waters, the country has averaged fewer than two fatal attacks per year in recent decades.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Billabong brand value collapses, posts giant loss

SYDNEY — Billabong reported a $769 million annual loss Tuesday that reflects a collapse in the value of its once hot surf and street fashion brands.

The company said it marked down the value of its assets by AU$867 million ($776 million). That write-off resulted in a net loss of AU$859.5 million ($769 million) for the financial year ended June 30.

The company has staggered through a series of business shake-ups and failed buyout offers. It says it is in the final stages of debt refinancing negotiations that will allow the business to rebuild.

Billabong’s global sales for the year fell 13 percent to AU$1.34 billion reflecting store closures, Europe’s weak economy and the fading allure of its brands.

The Billabong and other brands owned by the retailer were valued at AU$90 million in the company’s financial statements released Tuesday, down from AU$614 million two years earlier.

The company’s shares closed down 5.3 percent in Sydney.

source: business.inquirer.net

Whale knocks surfer unconscious in Australia

SYDNEY — A Sydney surfer had a lucky escape on Sunday when he was hit by a whale frolicking off Bondi Beach and knocked unconscious.

Bishan Rajapakse, a 38-year-old doctor, said the last thing he remembers before waking up on the beach was saying “Hey, how’s it going?” to the whale, believed to be a southern white, as it swam near him and other surfers, the Sydney Morning Herald said.

“When I got to him I saw there was this dark, black shadow and it was just massive,” he told the paper.

“The whale was moving in like slow motion. It was beautiful and it breached and we could see the barnacles and it was slowly going up and down and turning and it actually made a noise. It was amazing.”

New South Wales Ambulance said several whales were close to the iconic beach on Sunday morning. Paramedics were called in to help when one of the large animals hit, or flicked with its tail, the male surfer, knocking him out.

“He was knocked unconscious very briefly,” a spokesman told AFP, adding that the man was rescued by fellow surfers and was not seriously injured.

“He is lucky people were there (to help him), but we were also lucky that he’s the only one (needing help),” the spokesman said.

One witness told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the whale was “the size of a bus” and had been frolicking with the group of surfers.

“I mean, it was 40 feet long – it was huge,” Lachlan Harris told the broadcaster.

“They were playing and the whale was frolicking with them and having a lot of fun and sort of popping its head out.

“It just flicked its tail and some surfers were in the wrong (place) and the next thing, you know, a surfboard is flying in the air… It was unbelievable.”

Anthony Carroll, a lifeguard with Bondi Rescue, said Rajapakse, reportedly a New Zealander of Sri Lankan descent, had been very close to the whale when the accident occurred, apparently unable to resist the temptation to see the animal up close.

“His board had been smashed in pretty badly. It looked like he was thrown about three meters above the water,” he told the Herald.

“The tail of a whale is the strongest muscle on any animal in the world. Some humpback whales get up to 80 tons. It’s an extreme no-no to go in the vicinity of a whale.”

Rajapakse, who was in danger of drowning after he was hit, said he had a slight headache but no other injuries from the experience which amazed those at the beach, including the paramedics called in to treat the unusual case.

“I’ve been a paramedic for 12 years and this is by far the most interesting case and way out (case) that I’ve ever done,” Kristie Sky, who treated Rajapakse, told the ABC.

“Everyone that’s… heard the story, they’re all pretty amazed by it as well.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net