Tahiti's surfing federation is confident French Polynesia will be confirmed as the host of the surfing competition for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A Surfer training days out from Billabong's annual Tahiti competition at Teahupoo reef. TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA - AUGUST 5 2018 Photo: Andrea Izzotti/123RF
Despite rival bids from Biarritz, Lacanau, Les Landes and La Torche on the French mainland, Paris 2024 organisers announced they had chosen the French territory to stage the event, subject to confirmation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Federation president Lionel Teihotu said he believed the decision would be made in favour of Tahiti.
"We as surfers, we are completely [and] very confident of the answer we will get but the IOC has the primary opportunity to tell the world what is going on," he said.
Hosting the event would benefit Tahiti in many ways and could lead to local athletes winning medals for France, Teihotu said.
"It means a lot, just like a dream because for our population of French Polynesia, for Tahiti and especially the population of Teahupo'o, to get the Olympic Games for surfing would be very very great and for sure for the athletes as well.
"In 2024, we should have another athlete, and they will grow [in numbers] and the females as well. It could be very helpful to get athletes in the team."
If Tahiti stages the competition, it would be the longest distance between an event and the host city of any Olympic Games.
Teihotu said Tahiti was capable of running an Olympic event.
"We have the experience [and] we are sure that on the sports level it's going to be successful for sure and as well for the other sectors."
The best surfing conditions in Tahiti, however, may not coincide with the Olympics.
"Unfortunately the games will be in the end of July and beginning of August. It's not so good because the waves are smaller so we should have a look on the statistics of the waves during the period of end of July to the beginning of August," Teihotu said.
"September you have your high tide and a big mix of high tide and low tide and that's the period of big waves... good conditions which could promote surfing all over the world."
The International Olympic Committee is expected to make an announcement in February 2020.
