World’s Top Surfers Converge in Puerto Rico for 2024 ISA World Surfing Games

With only months remaining until surfing makes its debut in the Paris 2024 Olympics, 266 athletes worldwide, including Zebedee Bamford, Teshawn Jones, and Rush Broderick representing the British Virgin Islands, will compete for the remaining Olympic slots at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, from February 23 to March 3.

This event serves as the final qualifying opportunity for surfers aiming to participate in the Olympic surfing competition in Tahiti.

The event commenced with the Parade of Nations and Opening Ceremony on February 23, followed by competition days spanning from February 24 to March 2, concluding with Finals Day and the Closing Ceremony on March 3.

The top 8 women and 6 men will secure direct qualification for Paris 2024 through the 2024 World Surfing Games.

In addition to individual qualifications, the highest-ranked women’s and men’s teams will earn a slot for their nation, allowing a third surfer beyond the standard national quota. This provision, which led to additional qualifiers in 2022, adds an extra layer of anticipation to the competition.

This year’s World Surfing Games feature a star-studded lineup, including nine former ISA gold medalists and 27 Olympians who competed in Tokyo 2020, with 27 athletes already qualified for Paris 2024. Among the participants are six World Surf League (WSL) champions, adding an extra layer of prestige to the event.

The ISA chose Puerto Rico’s iconic reef-breaks of Margara, El Pico, and Rastrial as the competition venues. Puerto Rico’s rich surfing history, dating back to 1968, makes it a fitting backdrop for this world-class event.