The surfing portion of the 2024 Summer Olympics is underway at Teahupo'o in Tahiti. Surfing is an exciting new sport to the Olympics, first becoming a part of the summer games in Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021). This makes it the second time that surfers will represent their country while competing to win an Olympic medal.
There are three American women surfers to cheer on! Carissa Moore took the gold medal in the 2020 Olympics and is one of the top competitors to watch for in 2024. However, Caroline Marks also competed in the 2020 Olympics and is still on fire from winning the 2023 World Surfing League title, including an event win at Teahupo'o. Caity Simmers is just 18-years-old but has already proven herself as a major threat on the World Tour.
These are the talented women surfers representing America at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Carissa Moore
Hawaiian Carissa Moore was the first woman in history to win the Olympic gold medal for women's surfing at Tokyo 2020. Moore, 31, also has five world titles to her name competing on the World Surf League Women's World Tour and a long list of contest wins. Without a doubt, Carissa Moore is trained up and ready to again compete for team USA.
Moore's surfing style is both powerful and fluid. She aggressively drops into challenging waves, showing no fear as she carves up and down the face, making surfing the best waves in the world look effortless.
2024 is a noteworthy year for Moore's career for another reason, as she will be taking time away from surfing competitively after the year wraps up to start a family with her husband. America will be ready to cheer on Moore as she shows the world her incredible talent and surfing skills, and give her a full-send into motherhood.
Caroline Marks
Caroline Marks, 22, will be the woman to watch during the women's surfing contest at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. She is the 2023 World Champion of the World Surfing League Women's World Tour, where she defeated gold medal defender Carissa Moore in the final!
Marks was born in Florida and lives in San Clemente, California. A clear talent from the beginning of her surfing career, at the age of 15, Marks became the youngest woman to qualify and compete on the World Surfing League Tour.
There's a high probability that Marks will win the gold medal or at least take the podium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, since she won the event just last year at Teahupo'o on the WSL Tour.
Caity Simmers
Surfer Caitlin Simmers, who also goes by 'Caity', qualified for the 2024 Olympics at just 18 years old. The Californian joined the WSL Tour in 2023 and was the runner-up for the Tahiti event, falling to Caroline Marks in the final. Simmers had two event wins in her rookie year and has had three so far in 2024, proving that she can handle heavy waves and perform under pressure.
Simmers lives just south of Marks in Oceanside, California where she grew up surfing. Her parents are avid surfers and shared their passion for surfing with their daughter from a young age.
Simmers qualified for the WSL tour in 2022 but decided to hold off and spend more time at home with her family before touring the world and competing on the international surfing stage. Now Simmers will compete in the biggest surfing event in the world - the 2024 Summer Olympics.
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