JEFFREYS BAY, Eastern Cape, South Africa (Wednesday, July 19, 2023) - Griffin Colapinto (USA) has provisionally qualified for the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024 through his placing on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). The 24-year-old will represent the United States of America in his Olympic debut.
Colapinto's 9th-place finish at the Corona Open J-Bay in South Africa, as well as the elimination of John John Florence (HAW), solidified his position as the men's top-ranked American surfer, earning his provisional spot. With his outstanding results this season, including his recent win at the Surf Ranch Pro, Colapinto is currently ranked No. 3 in the world.
"How easily things can turn around!" Colapinto said. "I was so upset after losing so early in J-Bay, but winning a CT event, qualifying for the Olympics and getting into the Final 5 were part of my goals for this year. I won one CT event and now this, so the only thing left to do is win the World Title. It's so cool to put it all down on paper and feel it come to life, it feels so good."
Colapinto hails from San Clemente, California, and is in his 5th season competing on the WSL Championship Tour. He has been on a consistent, upward trajectory, and positioned himself as one of the highest-performing American men on Tour. Colapinto finished his 2017 season at the top of the men's Qualifying Series rankings and secured his spot on the 2018 CT. Colapinto's 2022 CT season was one of his best, getting key wins in El Salvador and Portugal to finish the season ranked No. 7 in the world. Now, Colapinto sits at No. 3 on the rankings with three runner-up finishes and one event win.
Surfing will return to the Olympic Games after making its 2020 Olympic debut in Tokyo. The 2024 Olympics will be held on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti at Teahupo'o, the iconic wave known for massive barrels, heavy drops, and a shallow reef. This will be familiar to the WSL surfers as it is the featured stop on the WSL CT and the next stop on the 2023 CT season.
The WSL CT, the highest level of competitive surfing that crowns the World Champions, is surfing's tier-one qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games. WSL will provisionally qualify the first ten men and eight women for Paris 2024. Learn more about Surfing's Olympic Qualification process.
Watch Colapinto compete at the upcoming Shiseido Tahiti Pro from August 11 - 20, 2023. Once called on, the competitions will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL's YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL's broadcast partners.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.