Update: Kaua‘i’s Weston-Webb has chance for gold after win in Olympic surfing semi-finals

2:17 p.m. Monday update: Kaua‘i’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, representing her birth country Brazil, will go up against Team USA’s Caroline Marks for the gold in the 2024 women’s Olympic surfing finals.

During Heat 2, the Olympic live blog writes: Using full rail turns and some keen tube riding acumen, Weston-Webb has posted the day’s highest single wave score (an 8.33) and total heat score (a 13.66) on her way to winning her semi-final heat.

According to the blog, Heat 2 of the women’s semi-finals was over well before the final horn sounded.

“Weston-Webb (BRA) had a slight lead early and was sitting with priority when Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy flagrantly interfered, dropping in on Weston-Webb (BRA) as the two women caught the same wave.”

Speaking with surf reporter Ash Tulloch after her win, Weston-Webb said, “Very happy I got to showcase my surfing. I really feel like I’m getting a handle of this wave and I’m glad it’s showing. For our country this means so much and I can’t wait to represent Brazil in the final.”

The penalty for the accidental mishap meant that Hennessy could only have one scoring wave count for her total heat score. As soon as Weston-Webb had a total heat score over 10.00, the heat was effectively over. 

Despite making the fatal gaff, the blog writes Hennessy surfed with conviction on her backhand and turned in the heat’s second-highest-scoring wave (a 6.17) thanks to a series of strong turns that threw buckets of roiling whitewater over the back of the wave. 

12:40 p.m. Monday update: Caroline Marks of Team USA advances to the finals in women’s Olympic surfing.

According to the Olympics live blog, Marks and Johanne Defay of Team France both had a combined heat score of 12.17 in Women’s semi-final heat #1 but the tie-breaker was settled by the best single wave score, and that belonged to Marks with her heat best 7.0.

That score was earned by catching one of the heat’s biggest waves, pulling into a clean frontside barrel, exiting and carving back to the power source, and then snapping a crisp hammer off the lip to close out the ride.

“It was easily the most complete ride of the heat,” the blog reports.

Kaua‘i’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, representing her birth country Brazil, will go up against Brisa Hennessy of Costa Rica in the second heat for the semi-finals.

The winner of that heat will go up against Marks.

Original post: The semi-finals and finals in men’s and women’s 2024 Olympic surfing, taking place in Teahupo’o, Tahiti are back on.

Kaua‘i’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, representing her birth country Brazil, will go up against Brisa Hennessy of Costa Rica in the second heat for the semi-finals.

Caroline Marks of the United States will go head-to-head with Johanne Defay of France in the first heat.

Originally scheduled to take place on Saturday, the semi-finals were rescheduled for today due to a lack of wave conditions.

The defending gold medalist Carissa Moore of Team USA and Hawai‘i, has already been eliminated.

This story will be updated when results come in. Click here to follow the Olympics live blog.