Surfing at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's shortboard

Men's shortboard
at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Olympic surfing
VenueShidashita Beach, Chiba
Dates25–27 July 2021
Competitors20 from 14 nations
Winning score15.14
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Ítalo Ferreira  Brazil
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Kanoa Igarashi  Japan
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Owen Wright  Australia
2024 →

The men's shortboard competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo was held from 25 to 27 July at the Shidashita Beach, or "Shida", located about 40 miles (64 km) outside of Tokyo in Chiba.[1]

The medals for the competition were presented by Bernard Rajzman, IOC Member, Olympian, and Silver Medalist, Brazil; and the medalists' bouquets were presented by Fernando Aguerre, ISA President; United States.

Background

This was the first time the surfing is held at the Olympics; it was one of five temporary sports selected for Tokyo 2020. Surfing has also been selected as a temporary sport for 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

Australia and the United States are typically strong surfing nations, with Brazil a significant challenger.[2] American John John Florence, a two-time World Champion with the Pipeline Masters award, was among the favourites, as were 14-year tour veteran Owen Wright of Australia and reigning World Champion Ítalo Ferreira of Brazil.[2]

Qualification

Quota places were allocated to the athletes at the following events:

  • Host Country: Japan as host country is allocated 1 place in both men's and women's events. If at least one Japanese surfer has earned a qualification place through other events, the relevant Host Country Place(s) shall be reallocated to the next highest ranked eligible athlete at the 2020 World Surfing Games.
  • 2019 World Surf League Championship Tour – the 10 highest ranked men and 8 highest ranked women will be awarded quota places.
  • 2019 ISA World Surfing Games – the top finishers from each continent with the exception of the Americas will be awarded a quota place.
  • 2019 Pan American Games – the top finisher in men's and women's events will be awarded a quota place.
  • 2021 ISA World Surfing Games – the top 4 men and 6 women will be awarded quota places. If a NOC or National Olympic Committee qualifies more than the maximum number of athletes, the 2021 ISA World Surfing Games will prevail and any places earned from 2019 will be reawarded to the next highest finishing athlete(s).

There is a maximum of 2 men and 2 women per NOC. [3]

Competition format

The competition consists of six rounds:[4][5]

  • Round 1: 5 heats of 4 surfers each; the top 2 in each heat (10 total) advance to round 3 while the other 2 from each heat (10 total) go to round 2 (essentially a repechage)
  • Round 2: 2 heats of 5 surfers each; the top 3 in each heat (6 total) advance to round 3 while the other 2 in each heat (4 total) are eliminated
  • Round 3: Head-to-head competition starts with this round of 16 (8 heats of 2 surfers each; winner advances, loser eliminated)
  • Quarterfinals
  • Semifinals
  • Final and bronze medal match

The length of each heat (20 to 35 minutes) and the maximum number of waves each surfer can ride are determined by the technical director ahead of the day of competition.[4] Scoring for each wave is from 0 to 10, with the best two waves for each surfer counting.[2] Scores are based on the difficulty of manoeuvres performed, innovation and progression, variety, combination, speed, power, and flow of each manoeuvre.[2]

Schedule

H Heats QF Quarter-Finals SF Semi-Finals F Finals
Schedule
Date 25 Jul 26 Jul 27 Jul
Men's R1 R2 R3 QF SF F
Women's R1 R2 R3 QF SF F

Competition took place over 3 days between 25 July and 27 July.[6][7] Due to a tropical storm the inaugural Olympic surfing finals were moved from Thursday 29 July to Tuesday 27 July.[8]

Results

Round 1

The first round is non-elimination. Surfers are seeded into five heats of four surfers each, with the top two surfers advancing straight to Round 3. The bottom two surfers are seeded into Round 2, the first elimination round.

Heat 1

Rank Surfer Nation Total score Notes
1 Ítalo Ferreira  Brazil 13.67 R3
2 Hiroto Ohhara  Japan 11.40 R3
3 Leonardo Fioravanti  Italy 9.43 R2
4 Leandro Usuna  Argentina 8.27 R2

Heat 2

Rank Surfer Nation Total score Notes
1 Kanoa Igarashi  Japan 12.77 R3
2 Miguel Tudela  Peru 10.67 R3
3 Billy Stairmand  New Zealand 9.97 R2
4 Jérémy Florès  France 7.63 R2

Heat 3

Rank Surfer Nation Total score Notes
1 Lucca Mesinas  Peru 11.40 R3
2 Kolohe Andino  United States 10.27 R3
3 Rio Waida  Indonesia 9.96 R2
4 Julian Wilson  Australia 8.77 R2

Heat 4

Rank Surfer Nation Total score Notes
1 Owen Wright  Australia 10.40 R3
2 Ramzi Boukhiam  Morocco 10.23 R3
3 John John Florence  United States 8.37 R2
4 Manuel Selman  Chile 6.20 R2

Heat 5

Frederico Morais originally qualified to represent Portugal, but was forced to withdraw after he tested positive for COVID-19 shortly before the start of the Games. Carlos Muñoz of Costa Rica was named as a replacement, but he was unable to make the first round of competition.[9]

Rank Surfer Nation Total score Notes
1 Gabriel Medina  Brazil 12.23 R3
2 Michel Bourez  France 10.10 R3
3 Leon Glatzer  Germany 10.00 R2
4 Carlos Muñoz  Costa Rica DNS R2

Round 2

The top three surfers from each heat in Round 2 advance to Round 3. The bottom two surfers from each heat are eliminated.

Heat 1

Rank Surfer Nation Total score Notes
1 John John Florence  United States 12.77 R3
2 Rio Waida  Indonesia 11.53 R3
3 Billy Stairmand  New Zealand 11.34 R3
4 Manuel Selman  Chile 9.74 E
5 Carlos Muñoz  Costa Rica DNS E

Heat 2

Rank Surfer Nation Total score Notes
1 Leonardo Fioravanti  Italy 12.53 R3
2 Jérémy Florès  France 11.37 R3
3 Julian Wilson  Australia 11.27 R3
4 Leon Glatzer  Germany 10.43 E
5 Leandro Usuna  Argentina 9.67 E

Elimination round

The winner from each head-to-head heat qualifies to the next round.[10]

3rd round Quarter finals Semifinals Finals
        
 Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 14.00
 Rio Waida (INA) 12.00
 Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 12.60
 Kolohe Andino (USA) 11.00
 Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.83
 John John Florence (USA) 11.60
 Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 17.00
 Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.76
 Michel Bourez (FRA) 12.43
 Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 9.40
 Michel Bourez (FRA) 13.66
 Gabriel Medina (BRA) 15.33
 Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.33
 Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.00
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 6.60
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Ítalo Ferreira (BRA) 15.14
 Ítalo Ferreira (BRA) 14.54
 Billy Stairmand (NZL) 9.67
 Ítalo Ferreira (BRA) 16.30
 Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 11.90
 Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 10.00
 Miguel Tudela (PER) 9.63
 Ítalo Ferreira (BRA) 13.17
 Owen Wright (AUS) 12.47
 Lucca Mesinas (PER) 10.77 Bronze medal match
 Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 8.86
 Lucca Mesinas (PER) 7.83  Gabriel Medina (BRA) 11.77
 Owen Wright (AUS) 12.74 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Owen Wright (AUS) 11.97
 Owen Wright (AUS) 15.00
 Jérémy Florès (FRA) 12.90

References

  1. ^ "Surf year opens for Olympic qualifying, equal pay". ESPN.com. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d "Everything you need to know about Olympic Surfing at Tokyo 2020". IOC. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Tokyo 2020 Qualification System – Surfing" (PDF). isasurf.org. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Surfing 101: Competition format". NBC. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Surfing in Tokyo 2020: the official competition format". 18 February 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Schedule – Surfing Tokyo 2020 Olympics". Olympian Database. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Surfing Competition Schedule". Tokyo 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Surfing finals day is underway at Tokyo 2020! How to watch and get involved". Tokyo 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Olympics Latest: US men get off to fast start in volleyball". Washington Post. Associated Press. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Source". Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2021.