If you’re confused about surfing in the Olympics, you’re not alone.
There’s a lot to grasp – from the judging criteria, to the wavepool debate, to the game of home country musical chairs. But the most puzzling aspect of Olympic surfing, by far, has been qualification. Who gets to surf and why? Well finally, the picture is a little clearer thanks to the first (unofficial) qualifiers coming from the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games.
Men:
Shun Murakami (Japan)
Ramzi Boukhiam (Morocco)
Billy Stairmand (New Zealand)
Frederico Morais (Portugal)
Women:
Shino Matsuda (Japan)
Anat Lelior (Israel)
Bianca Buitendag (South Africa)
Ella Williams (New Zealand)
The above surfers secured provisional slots for Tokyo 2020 after their performances at the 2019 ISA World Games, which wrapped up over the weekend in Miyazaki, Japan. For more on qualification logistics, head here; but basically, it goes like this: the first tier of eligible Olympians comes from the 2019 end-of-year CT ratings (TBD), followed by the 2020 ISA World Games (with surfers from any country), next the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games (but only for surfers from Africa, Asia, Oceania, or Europe; see here for 2019 results), then the 2019 Pan American Games (tentatively Lucca Mesinas and Daniella Rosas of Peru), and finally one slot reserved for the home country (ahem, Kanoa Igarashi).
Remember, there’s a couple caveats. First, each country only gets two slots per gender. And although Italo Ferreira won the 2019 World Surfing Games, the Olympic slots didn’t cover the Americas (even though he’ll likely try and qualify through the CT, which could get dicey since his fellow Brazilians Filipe Toledo and Gabriel Medina are also currently in the top 10).
Although it’s highly unlikely, the surfers mentioned above could still be knocked out by the end-of-year CT rankings or the 2020 World Surfing Games. For example, it doesn’t look like another surfer from Morocco is going to storm the CT leaderboard and steal Ramzi Boukhiam’s slot. Nor does it look like two surfers from Morocco will place higher than him at the 2020 World Surfing Games. But hey, anything’s possible.
So, the above mentioned athletes, along with the two Peruvian winners from the Pan Am Games are looking pretty solid as the unofficial first qualifiers to be locked in for Tokyo 2020. And because these surfers aren’t exactly household names, we figured we’d introduce them to the world before they take the big stage.
Shun Murakami
Murakami slicing his way to the podium on his home turf at the 2019 World Surfing Games. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
Not to be confused with Takashi Murakami – the flowery visual artist and collaborator with rappers and fashion designers – Shun Murakami is a 22-year-old from Yugarawa, Japan. Earlier this year, he won the inaugural Japan Open of Surfing. But placing fourth against CT heavyweights at this year’s World Surfing Games, and all but securing a spot in the Olympics, is no doubt his biggest result to date.
Shino Matsuda
Matsuda and Team Japan…in Japan…with eyes on Japan. Photo: ISA/Pablo Jimenez
Although she was knocked out in Round Four of the World Surfing Games, Shino Matsuda had done enough to tentatively lock in her spot for the 2020 Olympics. And like Murakami, Matsuda also won this year’s inaugural Japan Open of Surfing. Not bad for a 16-year-old.
Ramzi Boukhiam
Boukhiam proving they eat their Wheaties in Morocco. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
Longtime QS warrior Ramzi Boukhiam lost to Gabriel Medina and Italo Ferreira in Round Seven of this year’s World Surf Games. But this wasn’t the first time the Moroccan has gone toe-to-toe with CT elite. Along with years on the QS grind, Boukhiam competed as an injury replacement in the 2013 Quiksilver Pro France where he lost to Mick Fanning (who went on to win the event).
Anat Lelior
Anat Leilor, eyes on the prize in Japan. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
As Israel’s surfing status continues to grow, Tel Aviv native Anat Lelior is aiming to boost that profile by representing her country in the Big Game. (Lelior snagged the slot for Europe, which the ISA considers Israel to be a part of.) And at only 19 years old, Lelior is already doing so with a strong showing at the World Surfing Games, where she ultimately fell in Round Five to Silvana Lima, Brisa Hennessey, and Sofia Mulanovich.
Billy Stairmand
Stairmand launching himself into the Olympic discussion. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
For years, Billy Stairmand’s claim to fame was beating Kelly Slater in a heat at the (then) Telstra Drug Aware Pro Margaret River in 2011. But now, with his tentative Olympics berth, he has something else to put on the top of his resume. At the World Surfing Games, Stairmand lost in the Round 11 Repechage, but that was enough for the New Zealander to (potentially) represent his country in 2020.
Bianca Buitendag
Buitendag and her Team South Africa brethren prepping for battle in Japan. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
After falling off tour in 2016, South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag has been relegated to the QS with a few guest appearances on the CT here and there (like J-Bay this year as a wildcard). But, thanks to her bronze medal win at the World Surfing Games, she tentatively secured a spot in Tokyo, where she’ll (most likely) be joined by a certain very tall and regularfooted countryman.
Frederico Morais
He may be off the CT, but a chance at a gold medal isn’t a bad consolation prize for Morais. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
This name should look familiar. Although Portugal’s Frederico Morais just barely slipped off tour in 2018, he’s keeping his Olympic dreams alive with a seventh-place finish at the World Surfing Games. And even though he didn’t podium this time around in Japan – he lost in the Round 11 Repechage – he should have another chance come 2020.
Ella Williams
Williams bashes one for the kiwis. Photo: ISA/Ben Reed
Despite placing 29th overall at the World Surfing Games, New Zealand’s Ella Williams did enough to lock in the provisional Olympic slot for the Oceania region. Currently, Williams is grinding it out on the QS but she has had some experience on bigger stages – like in 2017, when she earned a wildcard into the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, where she lost to Carissa Moore.
Lucca Mesinas
Peru’s Lucca Mesinas going for gold at the 2019 Pan Am Games. Photo: ISA/Pablo Jimenez
As the winner of the 2019 Pan American Games, Peruvian Lucca Mesinas has secured a provisional spot in the 2020 Tokyo Games. At the World Surfing Games in Japan, however, he wasn’t as successful with an equal 37th place. But for now, the Peruvian is safe for the Olympics since the World Surfing Games only opened up slots for Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa – not the Americas.
Daniella Rosas
Are you not entertained? Daniella Rosas, 2019 Pan Am Games. Photo: ISA/Pablo Jimenez
The same goes for 17-year-old Peruvian Daniella Rosas, who won the women’s gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games. Although 2004 World Champion Sofia Mulanovich won the women’s 2019 World Surfing Games, the event didn’t open a slot for the Americas, and so, the ticket to Tokyo remains with Rosas.
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