Tahiti welcomed the 2024 Olympic surfing event with sunshine, songs and Polynesian culture honoring the sport’s ancient roots, nearly 9,800 miles away from the Games’ opening ceremony in Paris.
The majority of the 10,000-plus athletes competing in the Summer Olympics have brought their gold medal aspirations to Paris.
However, not all of them have; some are actually on the other side of the world.
Surfers competing in the Paris Games are facing off in Tahiti, an island in French Polynesia, roughly 9,800 miles from Paris. The sport is relatively new in the Olympics as it debuted at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
Surfing heats will occur on the beaches of Teahupo'o, which hosts one of the stages of the World Surf League (WSL).
Men's and Women's Round 1 are both taking place on Saturday. However, it won't be your only chance to catch surfers in action.
The below Olympic schedule for surfing is in Eastern Standard Time, which is six hours ahead of the local time in Tahiti.
| Date | Event | Time (ET) |
| July 27 | Men's Round 1 (8 Heats) Women's Round 1 (8 Heats) | 1-10:30 p.m. |
| July 28 | Women's Round 2 (8 Heats) Men's Round 2 (8 Heats) | 1-10:30 p.m. |
| July 29 | Men's Round 3 (8 Heats) Women's Round 3 (8 Heats) | 1-10:30 p.m. |
| July 30 | Men's Quarterfinals Women's Quarterfinals Men's Semifinals Women's Semifinals Men's Bronze Medal Match Women's Bronze Medal Match Men's Gold Medal Match Women's Gold Medal Match | 1-10:50 p.m. |
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