The women's shortboard competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris was held from 25July to 5August at the Teahupo'o reef pass, Tahiti, a French overseas territory in the French Polynesia, located more than from Paris.
American surfer Caroline Marks won gold, Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb took silver, and Johanne Defay of France received bronze.
Qualification
The 24 quota places per gender were distributed to the eligible surfers at the following events based on the hierarchical structure: Host country – As the host country, France reserves one quota place each for the men's and women's shortboard events. If one or more French surfers qualify regularly and directly, their slots will be reallocated to the next highest-ranked eligible surfers from the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games. 2022 ISA World Surfing Games – The winning teams by gender will secure one place for their respective NOC, regardless of the two-per-country quota limit. 2023 World Surf League Championship Tour – The top ten men and top eight women eligible for qualification will each be awarded a quota place. 2023 Pan American Games (continental qualification for America) – The gold medalist of each shortboard event will be entitled to a spot for the Olympics; otherwise, it will be reallocated to the next highest-ranked surfer in the same tournament. 2023 ISA World Surfing Games (continental qualification for Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania) – The highest-ranked eligible male and female surfer from Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania will be entitled to a spot for the Olympics; otherwise, it will be reallocated to the next highest-ranked surfer on the continent. The highest-ranked athlete (or next highest-ranked athlete if reallocation) must achieve a top-30 placings at this event; otherwise, it will be reallocated to the next highest-ranked eligible athlete, not yet qualified, regardless of continent. 2024 ISA World Surfing Games: The winning teams by gender will secure one place for their respective NOC, regardless of the two-per-country quota limit. The top five men and top seven women eligible for qualification will each be awarded a quota place. Universality place – For the first time, an additional place per gender will be entitled to eligible NOCs interested to have their surfers compete in Paris 2024. To be registered for a spot granted by the Universality principle, the athlete must finish among the top 50 in his or her respective shortboard event at the 2023 or 2024 ISA World Surfing Games.
Competition format The competition consists of six rounds:
Round 1: 8 heats of 3 surfers each; the top in each heat (8 total) advance to round 3 while the other 2 from each heat (16 total) go to round 2 (essentially a repechage). From round 2 onwards, all rounds are elimination rounds and the heats consists of two surfers, with the top surfer progressing to the next round and the second place being eliminated. Round 2: Head-to-head competition starts with this round, 8 heats of 2 surfers each; the top in each heat (8 total) advance to round 3 while the other in each heat (8 total) is eliminated. Round 3: 8 heats of 2 surfers each; winner advances, loser eliminated Quarterfinals: 4 heats of 2 surfers each; winner advances, loser eliminated Semifinals: 2 heats of 2 surfers each; winner advances to final, loser advances to third place heat Final and bronze medal match
The length of each heat (25 to 40 minutes) and the number of waves each surfer can ride (maximum 25) are determined by the technical director ahead of the day of competition. Scoring for each wave is from 0.1 to 10, with the best two waves for each surfer counting. Scores are based on the difficulty of manoeuvres performed, innovation and progression, variety, combination, speed, power, and flow of each manoeuvre.
Judges The competition is judged by two head judges, two priority judges, and seven regular judges.
After Australian surfing judge Benjamin Lowe posted a picture on social media of himself posing with Australian competitor Ethan Ewing and his coach Bede Durbidge, Lowe was removed from the judging panel by the International Surfing Association on August1.
Schedule
HHeatsQFQuarter-FinalsSFSemi-FinalsFFinals +Original schedule Date 27 Jul 28 Jul 29 July 30 Jul Men's R1 R2 R3 QF SF F Women's R1 R2 R3 QF SF F
Competition was originally set to take place over 4 days between 27 and 30 July, with a contingency period of 5 days between 31 July and 5 August, if necessary.
On 29July, the weather turned dangerous towards the end of round3 of the men's shortboard event, forcing the cancellation of the women's third round. The waves continued to be too rough for competition over the next two days, leaving the final women's round 3 and all finals re-scheduled for 1 and 3 August (a lack of contestable conditions was also expected for 2August).
Competition was again called off on 3 and 4 August, with the semifinals and finals tentatively set for 5August.
Round Original dates Revised dates Original times Revised times Round 1 Saturday, 27 July 2024 rowspan="2" 11:48 rowspan="2" Round 2 Sunday, 28 July 2024 7:00 Round 3 (round of 16) Monday, 29 July 2024 Thursday, 1 August 2024 11:48 7:00 Quarter-finals Tuesday, 30 July 2024 9:24 14:12Semi-finalsBronze medal matchGold medal matchTuesday, 30 July 2024 Monday, 5 August 2024 13:0014:5316:15 8:1210:3611:12 All times are local, PFT (UTC−10)
Pre-competition seeding Surfers were pre-seeded according to their final ranking in the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games.
(silver medalist) (bronze medalist) (QF) (round 2) (round 3) (round 2) (QF) (round 3)
<li> (gold medalist) (round 2) (round 2) <li> (round 2) (round 2) (round 3) (fourth place) (round 2)
(round 3) (round 3) (QF) (QF) (round 3) (round 2) (round 2) <li> (round 3)
Results
Round 1 The first round is non-elimination. Surfers were seeded into eight heats of three surfers each, with the top surfer advancing straight to Round 3. The bottom two surfers were seeded into Round 2, the first elimination round.
Heat 1 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Caroline Marks 2.008.501.502.379.4317.932Sarah Baum 1.005.672.802.730.278.473Yolanda Hopkins 2.504.500.600.600.207.00
Heat 2 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123456781Vahiné Fierro 1.336.172.435.0011.172Sol Aguirre 0.430.201.100.701.900.632.401.104.303Janire Gonzalez-Etxabarri 0.700.971.301.132.43
Heat 3 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes12345671Tyler Wright 1.174.173.502.331.273.202.077.672Anat Lelior 0.500.433.232.205.433Sanoa Dempfle-Olin 2.832.001.670.504.83
Heat 4 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes1234561Caitlin Simmers 1.836.500.506.431.403.8312.932Tatiana Weston-Webb 5.831.930.234.5010.333Molly Picklum 1.570.932.675.778.44
Heat 5 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Brisa Hennessy 8.333.336.507.2315.562Johanne Defay 0.332.332.335.004.509.503Candelaria Resano 0.831.333.436.000.509.43
Heat 6 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451 Luana Silva 1.002.774.507.272Tainá Hinckel 0.572.501.702.832.905.733Camilla Kemp 2.000.530.800.202.80
Heat 7 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Nadia Erostarbe 8.333.833.575.501.6313.832Saffi Vette 2.334.732.777.503Yang Siqi 2.501.000.802.900.335.40
Heat 8 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes1234561Carissa Moore 3.836.179.007.5016.502Shino Matsuda 0.638.332.331.072.8311.163Teresa Bonvalot 5.170.275.170.873.601.4710.34
Round 2 In the second round surfers were seeded into eight heats of two surfers each, with the top surfer advancing to Round 3 (round of 16) and the second place being eliminated.
The pairs in each heat were formed based on surfers' results in the round 1 and according to their pre-competition (PC) seeding, with the second places facing the third places:
Heat 1: 2nd in Round 1, 3rd best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, 6th best PC seeding Heat 2: 2nd in Round 1, 6th best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, 3rd best PC seeding Heat 3: 2nd in Round 1, 7th best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, 2nd best PC seeding Heat 4: 2nd in Round 1, 2nd best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, 7th best PC seeding Heat 5: 2nd in Round 1, Best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, 8th best PC seeding Heat 6: 2nd in Round 1, 8th best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, Best PC seeding Heat 7: 2nd in Round 1, 5th best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, 4th best PC seeding Heat 8: 2nd in Round 1, 4th best PC seeding v 3rd in Round 1, 5th best PC seeding
Heat 1 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Yang Siqi 3.004.500.702.904.178.672Sol Aguirre 2.002.500.731.334.50
Heat 2 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes1234567891Sarah Baum 0.531.000.232.474.835.670.770.131.7310.502Camilla Kemp 0.372.170.701.602.770.304.94
Heat 3 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Shino Matsuda 1.602.100.577.679.772Teresa Bonvalot 1.503.670.633.171.206.84
Heat 4 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes1234561Johanne Defay 2.834.007.831.003.931.0011.832Molly Picklum 1.005.830.671.607.43
Heat 5 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes12341Tatiana Weston-Webb 5.502.834.001.339.502Candelaria Resano 0.871.431.870.933.30
Heat 6 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Yolanda Hopkins 0.170.773.671.000.334.672Saffi Vette 0.270.430.600.671.27
Heat 7 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Tainá Hinckel 3.233.303.807.102Sanoa Dempfle-Olin 3.502.502.102.800.436.30
Heat 8 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Anat Lelior 6.500.933.173.334.5011.002Janire Gonzalez-Etxabarri 0.202.500.302.80
Bracket The bracket was determined based on the seeding made for round 3 (round of 16). The winner from each head-to-head heat qualifies to the next round.
Round 3 In the third round (round of 16) surfers were also seeded into eight heats of two surfers each, with the top surfer advancing to the quarter-finals and the second place being eliminated.
Round three was initially scheduled for the 30th July, after the men's round 3, but was called off and rescheduled to August 1st.
The pairs in each heat were formed based on surfers' results in the round 1 and according to their pre-competition (PC) seeding, with the second places facing the third places:
Heat 1: 1st in Round 1, 3rd best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, 6th best PC seeding Heat 2: 1st in Round 1, 6th best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, 3rd best PC seeding Heat 3: 1st in Round 1, 7th best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, 2nd best PC seeding Heat 4: 1st in Round 1, 2nd best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, 7th best PC seeding Heat 5: 1st in Round 1, Best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, 8th best PC seeding Heat 6: 1st in Round 1, 8th best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, Best PC seeding Heat 7: 1st in Round 1, 5th best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, 4th best PC seeding Heat 8: 1st in Round 1, 4th best PC seeding v Round 2 winner, 5th best PC seeding
Heat 1 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes12341Caroline Marks 2.002.604.330.376.932Yang Siqi 0.501.000.200.631.63
Heat 2 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes1234567891Tyler Wright 5.832.670.702.602.432.500.331.235.2711.102Anat Lelior 0.504.671.073.070.800.971.930.437.74
Heat 3 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes12345671Johanne Defay 3.000.573.332.205.004.003.079.002Vahine Fierro 3.771.773.772.231.931.437.54
Heat 4 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes1234561Carissa Moore 2.503.830.500.772.304.338.162Sarah Baum 1.870.502.000.773.87
Heat 5 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Nadia Erostarbe 3.500.504.770.773.578.342Shino Matsuda 2.673.175.84
Heat 6 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Tatiana Weston-Webb 0.306.176.173.330.2012.342Caitlin Simmers 0.271.500.431.93
Heat 7 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123451Luana Silva 2.502.173.503.276.772Tainá Hinckel 0.801.772.933.000.175.93
Heat 8 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes123456781Brisa Hennessy 0.834.177.670.502.170.502.574.6712.342Yolanda Hopkins 6.333.571.331.831.609.90
Quarter-finals Heat 1 RankSurferNationWavesTotalscoreNotes1234561Caroline Marks 4.002.332.170.203.770.507.772Tyler Wright 1.003.501.870.875.37
Heat 2