ISA World Surfing Games 2022 Finals: Dates, competitions, format and more

The International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games is underway. The ISA’s premier event, presented by Visit Huntington Beach, commenced on September 16 in Huntington Beach, California.

This is the first time since 2006 that the event has come to Surf City. It is pertinent to note that the competition will determine which surfers qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Huntington Beach has hosted top-tier global events, including three editions of the Games in 1984, 1996, and 2006. The ISA World Surfing Games 2022 is the seventh major ISA event held in Surf City. The competition is already at its business end and the finals are scheduled to take place on September 24.

ISA World Surfing Games 2022 finals

Surfers are set to make a big break at the 2024 Paris Olympics and preparations for the competition have begun. The ISA World Surfing Games 2022 finals will decide who takes the very first spots in next summer's Olympic Games. The spots will be awarded at the ISA World Surfing Games finals at Huntington Beach.

The event will implement the innovative Olympic Surfing Qualification System, where the winning men's and women's national teams will win the Olympic slots. Surfers will gain automatic qualification with their respective country/National Olympic Committee (NOC). The first two sports in Paris will be awarded to the two countries that gain the most points per gender at the ongoing event.

International Surfing Association (ISA) President Fernando Aguerre stated that the event will be the 'most important competition till date. He said:

“With an extra Olympic slot up for grabs for the top men’s and women’s teams at these 2022 ISA World Surfing Games, the competition for the coveted ISA World Team Champion Trophy is going to be epic and the most important ever.”

The event began on September 16 with a parade in downtown Huntington Beach and the opening ceremony at the Pier Plaza. Day 1 of the event saw open competition and heats for men.

The women’s events are currently underway. The competition for both Open Men & Open Women will continue from September 20-23 before the finals on September 24.

A total of 247 athletes from 51 nations have arrived at Huntington Beach for the competition. Top names at the event include three-time World Surfing Games Champion Sally Fitzgibbons, Olympic silver medalist and Huntington Beach native Kanoa Igarashi and bronze medalist Tsuzuki Amuro.

USA’s Griffin Colapinto and Nat Young, Indonesia’s Rio Waida, Japan’s Shino Matsuda and Mahina Maeda, and Tahitian Vahine Fierro are among the top names to watch out for.

Brazilian and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Italo Ferreira was forced to withdraw from the event days due to a foot injury.

Viewers can follow the event on Olympics.com as well as the ISA World Surfing Games website for updates as well as highlights of the event.