VIDEO. Paris 2024 Olympics: “Nice, but a little macho”, the response of surfer Vahine Fierro, demonstrated on a wave once forbidden to women

“On va montrer qu’on est capable de surfer Teahupo’o”, s’est réjouie la championne tricolore Vahine Fierro. MAXPPP

Surfing pioneer, Vahine Fierro, puts women in the spotlight on the legendary Teahupo’o wave, forbidden to women between 2006 and 2021.

The Teahupo’o wave, one of the most dangerous in the world, was once forbidden to women but the recent demonstration by Vahine Fierro during the Tahiti Pro, two months before ;rsquo;returning there for the Olympic Games, shows that they have their place there.

Historic first victory of a Tahitian woman on the future Olympic spot

Last week, the swell was there when the organizers of the World Surf League (WSL) launched the world's best into rollers of more than three meters crashing onto slender coral. From series to series, the local of the stage Vahine Fierro, 24 years old, chained the tubes with courage, despite a broken board in the semi-final and numerous falls in the lagoon, until the first victory history of a Tahitian woman on the future Olympic spot.

"A childhood dream" for the one who will represent France at the Olympics, but above all the culmination of& ;rsquo;a process "very positive for women's surfing". "We all wanted to surf today and the WSL listened, I'm very happy about that. It’s in these conditions that we will push each other, that we will fall, try again and show that we are capable of surfing Teahupo’o&quot ;, the champion rejoiced.

Vahine Fierro, la nouvelle reine de Teahupoo 🏆🌊🏄🏻‍♀️ #tahitipro ⁦@wsl⁩ pic.twitter.com/C81XGAmPLW

— David MICHEL (@davidmichel_) May 30, 2024

Between 2006 and 2021, only men could stand out on the wave, with the organizers citing its dangerousness. Lobbying by stars like Carissa Moore and Tatiana Weston-Webb has enabled the return of women for three years.

A lot of progress

The first wave noted A wave of history

The less hectic days are still often used for women's series. This was not the case last week: when the Brazilian Weston-Webb signed the first wave rated 10 in history for a woman in Tahiti, she came out of a ’ ;quot;bomb" about three meters.

At the Olympic Games it will be the same thing, it will be a great way to show our surfing

"We can clearly see that women have progressed a lot in recent years, when we gave them visibility" , believes the five-time Hawaiian world champion and reigning Olympic champion Carissa Moore. "At the Olympic Games it will be the same thing, it will be a great way to show our surfing and what we are about capable."

A lot of things have evolved since the 2000s to allow women to tackle Hava's jawline. In 2018, the WSL introduced equality for "prize-money" distributed. The boards, the support and the preparation of the surfers have improved. "We see an even more rapid progression among the young people", notes Frenchwoman Johanne Defay, 30 years old and current world number 4.

And the mentality changed. "I built myself by telling myself: "If I want to be world champion, it I have to go surfing in Huntington Beach (California), in waves that are a little smaller, a little softer, less dangerous"", recalls Defay.

Alone in the line up

Long before the creation of the professional tour, Annick Paofai was one of those who paved the way for young Tahitian women by taming hits around the island in the mid-1960s. "On the water, it was funny because I’was really the only girl with lots of guys" , says the former surfer, 72 years old, manager of a pension a few kilometers from Teahupo’o.

On a board "the size of an ocean liner", she notably tames the Papara spot in a very masculine world, before being joined by other pioneers. "The guys were nice, they were my friends, but a little macho, so when I succeeded in something, I didn't hesitate to call them out"< /em>, laughs Paofai, chosen to carry the flame to Teahupo’o, which she surfed for the last time in 2002.

Between Paofai and Fierro, many champions faced "the wall of skulls", the literal name of Teahupo&rsquo ;o, who demands the best from everyone. "This wave is difficult to surf for anyone, man or woman", summarizes Keala Kennelly, Hawaiian who has won several resumes the women's competition in early 2000: "She doesn't care about your gender and will destroy you if she wants".