Surfers’ sendoff: Olympians celebrated in San Clemente en route to Tahiti 

Surfing's big Olympic show at the death-defying Teahupoʻo could mean big things for local surfers -- and could earn a newfound respect for the sport from the mainstream.

“Super dangerous.”

Those are the two words that come to mind for San Clemente surfer Griffin Colapinto when describing Teahupoʻo, the massive, barreling wave in Tahiti that will be on full display for the 2024 Paris Olympics during the sport of surfing’s second appearance in the Summer Games.

But if the local, laid-back surfer is feeling any kind of nervousness about taking on the monster of a wave in front of millions of spectators around the globe  – many who know nothing about surfing or have even step foot in an ocean – it didn’t show on a recent night as Colapinto and fellow Team USA surfer Caroline Marks were thrown a surprise send off by friends, family and fans in San Clemente just hours before their planes departed for Tahiti.

“I’m just soaking in the experience and trusting the ocean,” said Colapinto, the 25-year-old jumping onto a chair, holding up the surfer “shaka” sign with his hands above the cheering crowd who gathered at HH Cotton’s restaurant.  “I feel good, this is pretty rad. I’ve been training a lot and feeling mentally clear. I’ve pretty much been hanging out with my friends and family, training and surfing and just having a good time.”

The recent gathering showcased just how tight-knit the surfing community is in Southern California, where on any given day you could walk into a coffee shop or paddle out at your local surf break and be sitting next to a pro surfer-turned-Olympic athlete.

But the ripple effect of surfing in the Olympics goes beyond just hometown pride; it could have a wave of impacts for the sport – from changing a longtime stigma as a lifestyle rather than a serious athletic sport, to spreading the stoke of surfing to places far from the coast and further fueling the entire surf industry.

Colapinto and Marks are among 48 surfers from 21 countries in the competition, anticipated to be the most-widely watched surfing event in the sport’s history, in part due to the venue itself, a surf spot known to crack skulls and shred skin on razor-sharp reef.

Team USA has a strong chance at making the podium. Marks, the current women’s world champion, won the Tahiti Pro at the surf break last year and at this year’s event in May came in third. A Florida native she’s been living in San Clemente for more than a decade.

Hawaiian Carissa Moore is a five-time world champion who earned surfing’s first gold medal in Tokyo.

The women’s third team member, Caitlin Simmers, 18, of Oceanside, has proven herself a gutsy big-wave charger, coming up in second spot behind Marks in Tahiti last year. (The women earned a third spot during a 2022 ISA World Games event in Huntington Beach won by San Clemente surfer Kirra Pinkerton).

On the men’s side, Hawaii’s John John Florence is a two-time world champ who grew up with the bombing Pipeline in his front yard, and Colapinto has been putting plenty of practice time into charging the big-wave barrels.

Marks’ coach Mike Parsons, a San Clemente big-wave surfer among those who gathered at the send-off party, talked about how Tokyo 2020 didn’t quite have its big moment — due in part because of pandemic restrictions, a time-zone difference that made it difficult to watch, and lackluster waves.

But this time around, with Teahupoʻo as the gladiator arena, it could be surfing’s chance to shine, said Parsons, selected as one of this year’s Olympic commentators alongside Joe Turpel and Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost.

“This one is a little different,” Parsons said. “It’s something that translates globally, just the sheer spectacle of that wave. People have never seen that and it’s so incredible. If they get 10-point rides, it’s pretty special. I think of Olympic moments like Shawn White in the halfpipe, something like that. If we get that, and if an American wins, it could really elevate the sport. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

Surfing as a sport has come a long way in recent years, with the athletes incorporating training, coaching and nutrition into their regimen.

“Some people say it’s an artistic thing, it’s not a sport. I’m on the other side of that,” Parsons said. “I do see the artistic side of surfing, of course, but I love the athletic side of it. That it’s on this stage, and they can make a great living from a sport. The endorsement deals weren’t huge when I was on (the World Tour.) I like to see that side of it.”

Professional surfing has changed much since the first world champion, Peter “PT” Townend was crowned nearly 50 years ago, his prize money for that entire year just over $10,000.

While it has come a long way in transitioning from a lifestyle pastime, surfing still has yet to be accepted as a mainstream sport, Townend argued.

Proof in point, he said, is the recent list of ESPN’s Top 100 athletes, with no surfers making the cut, despite Kelly Slater earning 11 world championships and Stephanie Gilmore with eight world titles to her name. Mainstream media rarely covers contest results or features highlights of surf contests.

Could the Olympic’s stage help the sport be taken more seriously?

“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for the sport of surfing – the sport not the lifestyle – to expose it to the world, particularly if we get great waves,” said Townend, who will be in Tahiti for the competition as part of a delegation from Huntington Beach hoping to hobnob with decision-makers to bring the sport to Surf City for LA28.  “The Olympics is the biggest global stage in sport.”

During the San Clemente celebration, Surfing Industry Members Association Executive Director Vipe Desai said the Olympics is not only a huge opportunity for these athletes, but for surfing in general, which has had a surge of participation in recent years.

“The Olympics can bring legitimacy to the sport … For a long time, the stigma of Jeff Spicoli has been stuck in people’s minds,” said Desai, referring to Sean Penn’s character in the ’80s film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

“That surfing was for beach bums, it was a go-nowhere activity,” he said. “Now you look at it and there’s brands doing 100s of millions of dollars around the world. And surfing is an incredible sport not only for performance, but for mental health.”

Desai calls it a “small cottage sport” that has intrinsic value for what it brings communities such as San Clemente and coastal communities around the world, not to mention inland communities, where wave pools are popping up. Those surfers may yearn to travel to the coast for ocean waves, fueling the coastal economies even more, he said.

“Who knows, we could have an Olympic star who comes from middle America,” he said.

Colapinto’s father, Mitch, has been chatting with his son in recent weeks about goals heading into Tahiti and what it means to be in the Olympic games.

“This is a time to surf for your team and country,” Mitch Colapinto said, noting that surfing is typically an individual sport.

It was never a dream to make it to the Olympic stage as a youngster; even a decade ago the idea of Olympic inclusion seemed far-fetched, Mitch Colapinto said.

“That was never even a thought,” he said. “(The Olympics) was such a big deal for me growing up, I’m not sure if this generation appreciates it as much. Griffin didn’t go into surfing to make it to the Olympics, unlike swimming or gymnastics – surfing didn’t have that.”

Colapinto said he feels confident heading into the competition, putting in time practicing any time a big swell hits at Teahupoʻo, including just a week ago when waves got really, really big.

While he hasn’t had the best contest results there, recent social media videos posted show him and brother Crosby, also on the elite World Tour, charging the explosive wave, navigating the deep barrel behind the thick lip of the ocean as it folds onto the shallow reef.

There’s the big wipeouts, too, one gnarly spill showing Colapinto’s body freefall down the building-size wave.

But the risk is worth it, Colapinto said.

“It’s really, really rewarding when you get a good wave,” he said with a sheepish smile.

“We’re all at the mercy of the ocean and I’m fully surrendering to that.”

More than their surfing skills, Colapinto sees the bigger picture of how he and the sport can inspire people to live a clean, healthy lifestyle, he said. Colapinto is a huge advocate for medication and journaling, putting as much work into his mental health as he does physical training.

“The more self work you do, the better life you’ll live,” he said, recently drawing inspiration from the cult-classic character “Avatar, the Last Airbender,” with his surfboards made by shaper Matt Biolos adorned with blue arrows as seen on the anime character’s s head.

Marks didn’t expect the surprise send-off Thursday night, the iconic Olympic song blaring through the open windows of HH Cotton’s restaurant as the duo arrived, American and Olympic flags adorning the building as friends and family greeted the athletes with hugs and high fives.

“I feel overwhelmed with support and really grateful. I wasn’t expecting any of this,” said Marks.

She said many words come to mind as she readies for the Olympics: Nervous, excited, confident, gratitude. And while gold is the goal and the pressure is enormous, she’s trying to soak in her second Olympic appearance and enjoy the ride, she said.

“It’s such a special moment,” she said, looking out toward the sea of family and friends gathered. “Just seeing everyone together. It’s even bigger than the result. It’s so special.”

Even in her few years as a professional surfer  – the 22-year-old joined the elite World Tour in 2018 – surfing has become so big, so fast, in part due to the Olympic exposure, she said.

“The Olympics has brought a lot of attention and people who never heard about surfing now love surfing  – and that’s what’s amazing about the Olympics, it really grows our sport,” Marks said. “Surfing is the best. I may be biased. A lot of it is out of our control and it’s never the same wave and we’re dealing with nature, it’s very unique in that way. It’s the best sport in the world.”

The waiting period for surfing in the Paris Games runs from July 27 through Aug. 4, with competition held on the best three or four days, depending on conditions.