Surfing Shortlisted for the 2020 Olympics (and voting poll)
| Poll: Should Surfing be an Olympic Sport Total Votes: 5 |
|
|---|---|
| Yes | 0  |
| No | 3 |
| Only in a wave pool | 1 |
| In good surf in the ocean | 1 |
Will surf parks be the future of Olympic Surfing? Design by: Webber Wave Pools
Say what!? Surfing? Olympics?? Surely not?? According to my source’s the International Olympic Committee executive board is seriously considering adding surfing to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The organisers have nominated eight new sports for possible admittance into the Tokyo Games, including surfing, bowling and a Japanese favourite, baseball. The list, which will be narrowed down in August before being presented to the International Olympic Committee for a decision, comprises of baseball/softball, bowling, karate, roller sports, sports climbing, squash, surfing and martial arts.
When reached for comment today, International Surfing Association (ISA) President Fernando Aguerre, perhaps the most passionate campaigner for getting surfing into the Games, called these “very exciting times.”
Fiji Pro winner and all round gun, Owen Wright was asked by a reporter, for his thoughts on surfing in the Olympics. “I think surfing in itself is more of an art form and an expression so I think the Olympic banner doesn’t really suit the sport of surfing.”
In my opinion all olympic sports are in a controlled environment, surfing is pitted against mother nature. Maybe a wave pool would come into play here instead of the Ocean, not to mention Japan has pretty sub par surf.
Would you want to see Surfing at the Olympics? How about Kelly Slater win a gold medal? Ocean Vs Wave Pool??
Leave your comments below.
It may be against the general core opinion, but I’d like to see it for sure. That said, wave pools are cool and all, but surfing contests at the highest level need to be in the ocean — that, I believe strongly. Surfing contests shouldn’t be in perfect, manicured man-made waves. It’s about competition, it’s about reading the surf, it’s about variation and variety, it’s about patience and strategy. You take that out of surfing contests and you take away the soul of the competition.
So my vote: Yes on the Olympics, but only in the ocean. Can’t make that happen, then don’t do it at all.
It may be against the general core opinion, but I’d like to see it for sure. That said, wave pools are cool and all, but surfing contests at the highest level need to be in the ocean — that, I believe strongly. Surfing contests shouldn’t be in perfect, manicured man-made waves. It’s about competition, it’s about reading the surf, it’s about variation and variety, it’s about patience and strategy. You take that out of surfing contests and you take away the soul of the competition.
So my vote: Yes on the Olympics, but only in the ocean. Can’t make that happen, then don’t do it at all.
Right on J… Good voice of opinion! I totally get where you’re coming from!