How the Olympic surfing event made history

It starts with a dark past.

All eyes are on Paris for the 2024 Olympics, except of course, if you’re watching the surfing. The sport is making its second Olympic appearance but this time, it's happening 10,000 miles away from the host city; in Tahiti. This video explains why Tahiti’s waves could make this the most dangerous sports event in Olympic history and the dark story of how France can put an event in Tahiti in the first place.

Thanks to Benjamin Marcus & Jean-Christophe Teva Shigetomi for speaking with us for this story.

Welcome to Search Party!
Search Party is a new, independent, video news show that combines experienced journalism and visual design to decode the most complex stories in international sports and geopolitics.

About:
Search Party is led and produced by Sam Ellis, a journalist, director, editor, and animator based in New York City. For more than 6 years, Ellis produced the hugely popular video series, Vox Atlas, for which he earned an Emmy nomination. He specializes in breaking down the most complex new stories and presenting them with a refreshing, accessible, and engaging visual style.

He’s produced explainers on some of the world’s thorniest geopolitical stories; from corruption scandals in Latin America, conflict in the Middle East, and the rise of China, to the world of sports; the Monaco Grand Prix, the FIFA corruption scandal, and the 100-foot waves of Nazaré, Portugal. Ellis has also directed multiple episodes of TV; notably on Netflix’s ‘Explained’ and HBO Sport’s ‘Level Playing Field’.

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[enricocurcio]

Yesterday Gabriel Medina set the highest score in the Olympic surf, 9.9

[kinqkoko]

As a Polynesian (albeit Samoan), I am delightfully surprised that you included the truth of the Pacific’s colonial history and the troubles of the Maohi. I also appreciate it was from such an objective lens.

[johnnyharris]

Man you're killing it with these Olympic stories. So good!

[mrmeeseeks]

My brain is so fried once I heard “Tahiti” I instantly thought of Red Dead Redemption

[DanTheCaptain]

I think Surfing will be one of those sports that leaves and reappears every couples of Olympics depending on where it’s hosted. Kinda like how Baseball & Softball come and go depending on if it’s popular in the host country. It was featured in Tokyo 2020 but not included this year, but will make a comeback in 4 year in LA 2028. Surfing is only really good if you can get waves like they get in Tahiti. I haven’t paid attention to the surfing events during this Olympics but now that I see the waves, oh my God, now I just have to watch!

[RaulEdu]

8:25 I thought they conducted two or three tests, but 193 nuclear tests in the middle of a tropical archipelago paradise?!? 🤮

[chromaticbytomfox]

Fantastic work from Search Party team!

[aronc]

So I struggle with this channel, not being a sports fan. But this is one of those videos that really brings sports closer to what I understand and that’s why I love supporting this channel in the end. Sometimes you make something rather unrelatable to me make total sense and be fascinating. Thank you!!!

[teckolocity]

“Most dangerous Olympic game ever” didn’t they have pistol Dueling in 1906 😂 LOVE the channel keep up the great videos!

[mit_irwin]

I love adding the history, and not only sticking to the sports side

[MsDanfrost]

As a surfer and a journalist, thanks for doing the sport some justice. Non-endemic reporting on surfing, even by big outlets, is generally pretty cringe, but this showed you'd done your homework. Great to get a new perspective on a location and a wave I'm so familiar with. Thanks again Sam and the SP team

[KaawSauce]

This is the only place on the internet to get this. Thank you.

[hucklebucklin]

The picture of the surfers at the opening ceremony at the beach was so

[meghanm]

Love your continued focus on sports stories and how they interact with the rest of the world 🤘

[thaisgregorio]

Except the waves on the day of the finals were terrible or even non-existent during some heats, which hurt some athlete's performances. I know we can't control nature, but the lack of waves during the finals was hurtful to watch

[conductormtm]

I am enjoying this and all your other videos. Hopefully you can find a way to longer stories!

[AzovAzza]

I have no idea who you are or why you came across as a recommended video but you’re wearing a hockey shirt and that deserves a sub!

[TallTinyHouse]

FYI, your graphic of a storm is a northern hemisphere hurricane or typhoon rotating anti-clockwise. In the southern hemisphere, storms rotate clockwise.

[VenturousBen]

Great job updating the thumbnail! One of the best photos ever!

[tonyamcollins]

One of my favorite channels! Always something interesting and informative.