(ATR) Potential new sponsors, public and private funding, support from NOCs, greater demands, growing interest from government and sport leaders and enhanced media exposure are all linked to surfing’s newfound Olympic inclusion.
All of the above are evident as the surfing world descends upon Biarritz along France’s Basque Country coast for the World Surfing Games this week. Many of the 245 surfers from 47 countries aspire to also ride Olympic waves at Tokyo 2020’s Tsurigasaki Beach.
As it enters the Olympic limelight and tries to establish an identity within the Olympic movement, International Surfing Association president Fernando Aguerre says surfing will remain true to its culture and values.
"My message to them [surfers] is very simple – the surfing experience hasn’t changed in what they feel when they go to the ocean," Aguerre said.
"Yes, it matters that we’re in the Olympics with 20 slots for men and 20 for women, but if it’s 100 slots or if our sponsor is a local restaurant or a chain of restaurants we need to remain true to who we are.
"Life is full of currents and it is our own values and principles that keep us away from just chasing currents."
The Argentine-born leader of the ISA since 1994 says Olympic status will not make the traditional lifestyle sport bigger than it can handle. He also practices what he preaches.
"They say that size is the enemy of cool or that quantity and quality are inversely proportional so I’m very aware of this," Aguerre said. "My feet are on the sand and when they’re not on the sand, they’re on the surfboard."
Aguerre has welcomed numerous guests to the championships in Biarritz. International Olympic Committee sports director Kit McConnell arrived on Monday. Paris 2024 co-president Tony Estanguet, French dignitaries and politicians and a delegation from the Brazilian sport ministry have all come to catch a glimpse of the showcase event.
"We’re getting interested parties and that’s a consequence of our newfound Olympic status," Aguerre said. "It has really opened a lot of doors.
"We’re being supervised, and we’re being visited by people who want to know how we do things."
Another example of the sport’s untapped potential is the ISA’s new partnership with the Olympic Channel, signed last month. The nine-day World Surfing Games – the sport’s unofficial world championship – mark the sport’s debut on the IOC’s multi-level digital platform.
"The Olympic inclusion changed many things for us – we have to look at how we deal with the broadcasters, the commercial partners and all of that," he said.
Aguerre discusses surfing’s long and often turbulent road to Olympic inclusion as once being "unthinkable, then impossible and eventually inevitable." The sport failed several times trying to make it to the Olympic Games. The flamboyant surf leader never gave up.
"President Bach came and changed things, he realized that a lot of things had to be changed if the Olympic movement was to have a revival over the long term," Aguerre said.
"We’ll bring an aspect of youth that is not there," he said of surfing at the Games.
French surfing star Jeremy Flores commended Aguerre for his dedication to growing the sport on a global scale.
"He has a spirit where he brings countries from all over together for enjoyable moments," Flores tells Around the Rings. "He has always had this goal for surfing to be in the Olympic Games and we deserve to be there.
"He is a passionate guy and we’re lucky to have him represent us to be in the Olympic Games."
Aguerre made another significant announcement here in Biarritz. He informed surfers that next year’s World Surfing Games – which could be contested in either Brazil or Japan – will serve as the sport’s first Olympic qualifier.
"The key here is the IOC and we want the top stars, but we also want geographical distribution," the surfing chief explains. "That’s a tricky balance. Do you want it white or do you want it black and we want it both."
"We’ve never had the Olympic experience before, so we don’t necessarily know how to prepare because it’s such a long term goal," said South African surfer Bianca Buitendag. "I just hope that the qualification works out that the best surfers are there."
As Aguerre strives to fulfill the lofty Olympic expectations for his sport, there’s no doubting his creativity, flair and knack for innovation while thinking outside the box.
One can only imagine what he has in store for Tokyo 2020, although he is quick to offer a sneak peak, suggesting there will be yoga on the beach, healthy food, discussions on how to save the ocean, topped off with renowned musical acts along the lines of Pearl Jam, Blink 182 and Jack Johnson.
"The Olympic movement and Tokyo will embrace that in 2020 we’ll have an Olympic surfing beach festival," Aguerre said.
"You have to leave room for creativity. And I think between now and Tokyo we will add a lot of cool aspects."
Written and reported byBrian Pinelli in Biarritz
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