Olympics "Sober" Compromise to Teahupoo Tower
With eight months till Paris 2024 begins, Olympic organisers appear to have cleared the stalemate over the proposed judging tower.
Led by Matahi Drollet, but also backed by some surfers competing in the Olympics, opposition swelled against the controversial tower which required drilling into the Teahupoo reef. The protest even prompted French Polynesian president Moetai Brotherson to suggest shifting the Paris 2024 event from Teahupo’o to Taharuu - a standard beachbreak that surfers need not travel 15,000km to ride.
Artist's impression of the tower orginally planned for Teahupoo
In response, revised plans for the new judging tower will be 25 per cent smaller, “to return to the size of the old wooden tower (150 metres square),” a statement from Paris 2024 organisers and the Polynesian government said.
The "old tower" is of course the wooden tower used by the WSL for the past two decades, which Olympic authorities originally insisted “does not meet safety standards, will no longer be used and must be replaced for the sustainability of the organisation of surfing events in Teahupoo”.
The new tower’s weight will also be nine tonnes, compared to fourteen for the original, while catering to 25-30 officials instead of 40, and no longer providing connections to drinking and waste water for flushing toilets.
It's expected the Olympic's judging panel will be the same as the WSL judges, who annually adjudicate the Tahiti Pro from the existing structure, which along with water doesn't provide air conditioning or high-speed internet. The latter issue will have to be resolved to meet expectations.
In a 2500-word explanation of its decision and studies, Olympic organisers claimed that “the reinforcement of existing foundations without drilling (i.e. by anchoring 288 new steel bars at a depth of 1.5m) has been studied, but it would have a greater impact on the coral which has established itself over the years on the concrete pads than building new foundations in an area with few corals.
“The new tower, more sober and reduced in size and weight, installed on new perennial foundations, is the solution to ensure the durability of the tower over time and to guarantee the holding of future sporting events in Teahupo’o.
“This tower, as well as the new foundations, could receive ten-year approval, essential for insurance purposes.”
Comments
This idea of holding an Olympic event at "the end of the road" is extremely disturbing in so many ways.
Hopefully, Huey takes some action after it is constructed
I have said it before. With the drone technology available today why don't they just fly drones and have a judging room nearby on land or a boat in the lagoon?
COMPLETELY agree. Needing the judges to sit and watch is just nuts.
Weighing up the environmental impact versus the benefit gained from watching the wave from there is just a no-brainer. now I say it - weigh it all up and nothing makes sense. Keep the old tower with the cameras you mention and send the money to the middle east.....
good one Stupot
maybe the judges could all be at Kelly's wave pool and beam in the footage
coz that's where Olympic surfing should be contested, in da wave pool
so each competitor has the same wave, same opportunity
Desal plant on the tower wouldn't go astray, get rid of plastic water bottles and water for flushing...
Was there any opposition to the hundreds of bungalows in Tahiti built over the reef for rich people to take instagram selfies?
Crew are right to believe the end of the road was always the end game > Olympics as the Conduit.
IOC / World Banking/Finance all of a sudden care a bit too much about Surfing judges
Perfectly timed Hero Worshipping WMD clean getaway from Whiteshoe ISA Cable Guy!...[10] Legend!
https://www.facebook.com/ISAsurfing/videos/780376560757896/
16th Nov
https://www.tntv.pf/tntvnews/polynesie/societe/jo-2024-quel-avenir-pour-...
17th Nov
https://www.tntv.pf/tntvnews/sports/les-jeux-confirmes-a-teahupoo-avec-u...
25th Nov
https://www.tntv.pf/tntvnews/sports/jo-2024-moetai-brotherson-propose-li...
26th Nov
https://www.tntv.pf/tntvnews/polynesie/environnement/tour-des-jo-2024-ma...
27th Nov Teahupoo Residents : "Planned compromise does not adequately address their concerns!"
"Remain opposed to 'smaller tower' as it will still damage the Corals & risk Health of Lagoon!"
Many rightly argue how tower can magicaly become smaller when it's almost built!
https://www.reuters.com/sports/tahiti-locals-say-plans-smaller-surf-judg...
Residents are sick of Paris bullying + stirring up shit storms!
Paris Mayoress VIP South Pacific Junket Soiree was head hunted by a Sorte of Teahupoo Surfie Savages
Outrage that she was never exotically manhandled by hunky surfies while twizzlin' her Blue Lagoon.
Olympic works on Teahupoo foreshore + River mouth are dodgy with zero enviro approvals / plans.
Locals claim they Dredge the river thru the night to lay their pipe to the offshore Cable landing station.
In case any are wondering...Timber Tower is erected manually by youth team on Comp site.
New Tower has been constructed by cranes at Marina / Dry Dock Work Site
"Nautisport" Marina Work site > 20 kms to Comp site by road / barge > Either is doable.
After Comp would need to be returned & dismantled by crane at the Marina to be stored at prime cost!
Just saying...Marina ain't gonna do that too often without huge cost....less likely to retrieve it at all!
Where else to "Safely" operate Cranes on valued vacant foreshore other than Marina...Exactly!
Ugly Cable Rig flashing out starlight & blocking Land Sky Sea to plague pest critters for eternity.
Big Bro bullying every breath ya take of each precious second of every day...ONE OF US...Paradise!
A classic TBB line:
"Paris Mayoress VIP South Pacific Junket Soiree was head hunted by a Sorte of Teahupoo Surfie Savages
Outrage that she was never exotically manhandled by hunky surfies while twizzlin' her Blue Lagoon."
Haha that’s hilarious, TBB.
Cheers! Wanna more hilarious paradox > every power option relies on the Island...
Pretty sure surfers will smack their foreheads on this...WTF.
Galaxy's most powerful Wave Serpent spits back at them...What about me!
Chance for Surfing to source wave power as Olympic Eco Godz...well durr!
She'll be right Huey...wouldn't dream of it!
We'll just plug into that smokin' hot Men's Shed Power Board...Like the stoner losers all think we are!
Endless Wave Power options...backdoor the Snake or a Giant Sea Serpent to recharge yer hover boards.
Here's another irony...First ever Greatest ever Olympic Aquacade Opening Ceremony
Paris opening ceremony of 160 National flotilla in World's Cleanest River.
tbb checked the VIP watercraft...Not a Surfboard or Paddle Board is on show to the world.
Every other Ocean / River organisation is represented...all but World Surfing.
France spending AUS $2.5b on cleaning the River Seine.
Here Is surfing's finest hour to showcase WSL KSWC Tech to clean up River & surf as Enviro Gods.
Star attraction wave of euphoria as Champs Le surf Olympic Flotilla > Godz that saved the Olympics
$4,000 a ticket to see Olympians Surfing the grandest Wave that Heals the heart of Paris.
$2.5b Olympic swimmers & Triathletes showcase pristine River Seine Medal Events...
2024 / 2028 Surfing is 100% Shit fuckery with 2032 off the menu for Divas being a pain in the butt!
Crew would be drooling at Surfing being booted out...Yeah! That's us! So Cool...fuck the Man!
Not one proposal for a healing River Wave to own Olympic Ceremony / Games Events / $4,000 Tickets
Reckon if all Wave Pool Gurus worked on that River it would come in under cost with Paris Surf Legacy.
Again...ISA God would rather his Hero's welcome for his Cameo role in Teahupoo Tower of Power rort .
Even if Teahupoo puts out > Surfing missed the boat...Golden opportunity to boss all Olympic sports!
ISA / IOC / WSL pea brains were too stupid & greedy to see Holy Grail is there in front of them.
Surfing the City heartbeat on eternal Olympic flame ...People point'n'nod ...Pure Surf Stoke is Dope!
Sure...crew will summon #1swellnet Godz to model some shit hot River Seine Waves...
Gonna have to jump the shark without our Hero Hodad Surf Council...World Domination is a piece of piss!
swellnet crew summon Le Mascaret ~ The River Seine Wave God
(Please only evoke Le Wave God to hose down IOC / ISA / WSL Towering Infernos)
https://www.mediastorehouse.com.au/p/164/mascaret-tidal-bore-seine-norma...
https://media.sciencephoto.com/image/c0473985/800wm/C0473985-Tidal_bore_...
4307229.jpg.webp
https://staff.civil.uq.edu.au/h.chanson/pictures/quilleb1.jpg
1939 Hodads gritty V8 Model had little too much grunt...took out the Judge's Tower...(Gettin' Closer!)
&t=2s2004 Le Mascaret (River Seine) Le Teahupoo Mach 1
https://staff.civil.uq.edu.au/h.chanson/pictures/dordog39.jpg
2008 Le Mascaret (River Seine) Le Teahupoo Mach 2
https://staff.civil.uq.edu.au/h.chanson/pictures/p1050363.jpg
Waiting for Champ's Stamp of Approval
https://www.facebook.com/WSL/videos/filipe-toledos-heavy-teahupoo-wipeou...
https://www.purefrance.com/en/blog/le-mascaret-natural-spectacular-pheno...