After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the international surfing competition, the “Outerknown Tahiti Pro 2022” has finally opened. The prestigious competition will take place on the famous surf spot Teahupoo, which will also be the location for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games surfing competitions.
Proud to be recognised as one of the prime destinations with spectacular waves that surfers from around the world venture to experience, the Polynesians have eagerly awaited the return of the competition to their shores.
The opening ceremony took place in the town of Taiarapu-Ouest on Wednesday morning the 10th of August and was opened by Tony Estanguet, President of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (OCOG) of 2024 and Naea Bennett, Minister of Youth, Crime Prevention, and Sports.
“We are proud to welcome the world’s elite surfers, 36 athletes including 12 women who will give us, without a doubt, an extraordinary spectacle during this competition. We are proud to have among the world surfing elite, some children of the fenua [of the Tahitian land] such as Michel Bourez, Kauli Vaast and Vahine Fiero. We are proud that surfing, this Polynesian sport, is recognised worldwide and has been included since the Tokyo Games in the program of the Olympic Games,” said the Minister of Sports.
The Minister wished to congratulate Lionel Teihotu, President of the Tahitian Surfing Federation, as well as his entire team, for the work carried out for the development of this discipline in Polynesia. Surfing, due to the enthusiasm it brings, has become an important economic activity in Polynesia, through the many surfing products sold but also the many surf schools run by educators in the discipline.
“We are proud to have been chosen by the Organizing Committee of the 2024 Olympic Games to host the surfing events,” the Minister said. The country will have to finance several works so that the Teahupoo site can host this momentous event. But these infrastructures will serve as a legacy for the population who lives there and for the next surfing competitions that will take place in Teahupoo including the next Tahiti Pro but also the surfing events of the 2027 Pacific Games.
On behalf of the Government, the Minister thanked the commune of Taiarapu-Ouest and its population for hosting this competition at home, but also all the people who, from near or far, ensure that Polynesia is able to host the Games. 2024 Olympics in Teahupoo.
“Long live surfing, long live sport and long live French Polynesia,” concluded Minister Naea Bennett.
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