An International Surfing Association (ISA) delegation visited Santiago to review progress in the 2023 Pan American Games and has approved the surfing location. The ISA technical team, who has completed an assessment visit to the Chilean capital, confirmed the surfing venue will be in Pichilemu at the well-known break ‘Punta de Lobos’.
Santiago 2023 will be surfing’s second appearance at the Pan American Games following the sport’s debut at Lima 2019 – and will feature four core disciplines: shortboard, longboard, standUp (SUP) surfing and SUP racing.
The ISA expects a total of 88 athletes will compete in Santiago next year, with the top finishing eligible man and woman in the shortboard event to earn a place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Surfing in 2024 will be held on the French Polynesia island of Tahiti at the world-renowned reef break, Teahupo’o.
The ISA delegation visiting Santiago this week included Executive Director Robert Fasulo, Director of Event Operations Harrison Robbs, SUP Race Director Anthony Vela, ISA Technical Director Erik Krammer and Director of Sport and Athlete Relations Megan Burns. They were joined by the newly appointed Surfing Sport Manager of Santiago 2023, Trinidad Segura. Ms. Segura is from Pichilemu and has extensive experience in running international events at the Punta de Lobos break.
The ISA delegation also met with the leadership of the Santiago 2023 Local Organising Committee, including Director of Sport Operations Gustavo San Martin, Sports Director Ximena Restrepo and Senior Manager of Sport Operations Agberto Guimarães. The ISA welcomed the Local Organising Committee’s progress towards putting on world-class competitions for the second largest multisport event in the world after the Olympic Games.
ISA President Fernando Aguerre, said:
“Pichilemu is renowned in the surfing world as one of the best breaks in South America, so we’re excited for our athletes to have the opportunity to compete there in the 2023 Pan American Games. We’re grateful to the Santiago 2023 organisers and Panam Sports for accommodating surfing in this new location.
“As a major multi-sport international event, the Pan American Games are hugely important to the ISA as we accelerate the growth and appeal of all surfing disciples around the world. We’re especially happy to stage SUP surfing and racing again as we continue to invest to develop this increasingly popular sport and take it to a growing global audience.
“Santiago 2023 will also be a key moment in our journey to qualify two shortboard surfing Olympians for Paris 2024. So our event at the Pan Ams will be hotly contested with the continent’s best surfers set to thrill audiences with amazing displays of high-performance surfing.”
