TAHITI, June 27 ― Tahiti in French Polynesia is one of three candidates vying to stage surfing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Pacific Ocean island, 16,000 kilometres from the French capital, is up against three rival bidders closer to home on the French mainland ― Biarritz, Lacanau (in the Gironde region), and La Torche (Brittany).
French Polynesian President Edouard Fritch headed a delegation which pressed Tahiti's claims at a meeting with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet last week.
Tahiti boasts the Teahupo'o reef break, renowned for “the most dangerous and beautiful waves” and which hosts a leg of the men's surfing world championships.
The tropical island's candidacy “is being taken seriously. To have events overseas would send a strong signal,” a source close to the bidding process told AFP.
Surfing, which makes its Olympic bow in Tokyo next year, was one of four additional sports given the green light to appear at Paris 2024 by the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday.
The others were breakdancing, skateboarding and sport climbing. ― AFP-Relaxnews
