Final Surfing qualifier for Paris 2024 Olympic Games officially opens
The ISA celebrates it’s 60th anniversary with 266 athletes from 55 nations
chasing 16 available Olympic slots
Arecibo, Puerto Rico – February 23, 2024
Today, over 260 of the best surfers in the world, representing 55 nations, gathered in Arecibo, Puerto Rico to celebrate the opening of surfing’s final qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games (WSG).
With a total of 16 Olympic slots on the line, 9 for women and 7 for men, each of the athletes have arrived with high hopes as they chase Olympic dreams. Their passion poured out as they marched along the Arecibo waterfront in ISA’s traditional Parade of Nations with flags flying high and chants ringing out.
The iconic ISA Sands of the World Ceremony saw representatives of each of the nations gathered pouring sand from their home beaches into one container as a symbol of the peaceful gathering of nations of the world through surfing. Two new nations, British Virgin Islands and Slovakia, poured their sand and raised their flags at the WSG for the very first time.
The athletes present included multiple former WSG gold medalists, WSL Champions, and Tokyo 2020 Olympians, including Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore (USA), who represented as sand-pourer for the USA.
Multiple dignitaries were also present, including ISA President, Fernando Aguerre, the President of the Local Organizing Committee and Member of the International Olympic Committee, Richard Carrion, Mayor of Arecibo, Carlos Ramírez Irizarry, Executive Director for Tourism Puerto Rico, Carlos Mercado, and the President of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee, Sara Rosario.
