Caroline Marks, reigning world champion, surfed to a gold medal in the Olympic surfing event held in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, defeating Brazilian Tatiana Weston-Webb and France’s Johanne Defay. Marks, a 22-year-old from Florida who now lives in California, had previously competed in Tokyo Olympics but hadn’t medaled. Marks’ victory follows that of her teammate Carissa Moore in Tokyo in 2021.
The surfing competitions in the 2024 Olympics were held in Tahiti, far from the main event in Paris, but embraced by the local Polynesian culture with sunshine, songs, and tradition.
Surfing in the Olympics is judged by a panel of five judges who score a surfer’s wave ride on a scale from 1-10 in 0.01 increments. The highest and lowest scores are discarded, and the remaining three are averaged to give the surfer a total for that ride. The surfer’s two best rides are then combined to reach a final score.
Marks shared her excitement after securing the gold medal, expressing her joy after missing out on medaling in Tokyo. Her victory with a score of 10.50 was a significant moment in her career, making her emotional and grateful for the win. With the sport of surfing gaining momentum in the Olympics, Marks’ victory is another milestone for the competitive surfing community.
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