Save articles for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.

French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera has rejected suggestions of shifting Olympic surfing away from Teahupo’o despite growing opposition from elite surfers and locals after a barge damaged coral reef at the site last week.

Paris 2024’s surfing events at the famed Tahitian break has come under increasing criticism due to fears of environmental impact in the French Polynesian paradise, chiefly around the construction of a new aluminium judging tower worth a reported US$5 million ($7.95 million).

Teahupo’o, one of the most iconic surf spots in the world, and scene of an ongoing stoush over the environment impact of Paris 2024.Credit: Alamy

Those fears were realised last week when tests of a barge to be used in the tower’s construction – running at high tide without significant load – became stuck on the reef multiple times and damaged coral in the process.

Testing and construction work has since been suspended. But the environmental impact has once again seen French Polynesian president Moetai Brotherson question whether the Olympic event should be moved from Teahupo’o.

The Tahitian beach break Taharuu has previously been suggested as an alternative site, while officials in two mainland France surfing towns – Lacanau, near Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast and La Torche, further north in Brittany – have also pitched to host Olympic surfing in July.

Oudea-Castera insists, however, that the three-day event will still go ahead at Teahupo’o.

“No, there’s no Plan B,” she told reporters. “We’re on this path which is really the right one. We’re on the right path to have a new, resized judges’ tower [that aligns with] requests made by locals.

“There was a test that was obviously not well-prepared and could not be conducted properly.

“And unfortunately it damaged bits of coral, which is obviously completely regrettable. The next test must be meticulously prepared.”

Paris 2024 organisers have already scaled back plans for the new judging tower following public outcry, but the governing body insists the current wooden WSL tower – dismantled after the Tahiti Pro every year – does not meet required safety standards.

Footage of the Teahupo’o reef being damaged by the barge prompted social media criticism from several of the sport’s biggest stars, including current men’s and women’s world champions Filipe Toledo and Carissa Marks, as well as Kelly Slater and French pair Jeremy Flores and Johanne Defay.

“After seeing yesterday’s video, I’ve realised how much damage this ‘new tower’ is causing,” Japanese Olympic representative Kanoa Igarashi posted in an Instagram story.

“I trusted that they would consider the local environment more. But I guess I was wrong … All for a two-day event and not much future benefits for the local community.

“The Olympics is meant to leave the community a better place than before the Games but this action is not showing that in my opinion. I hope we can all find a solution.”

Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet acknowledged the offers from Lacanau and La Torche to step in and host surfing if Teahupo’o is abandoned, though potentially unfavourable conditions during European summer present an obvious issue. Estanguet said keeping the event in Tahiti remains his priority.

“As a partner of the Polynesian government I want to put all my energy…. to find the best solutions so we can have the surfing events in Tahiti,” Estanguet told Tahitian media.

“We still have a bit of time to find another technical solution to have this tower installed while respecting the environment.

“This is the priority we all share.”

Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.

Most Viewed in Sport

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article