ISA Delighted with 6th Successful Tokyo 2020 Technical Visit

Ver Noticia en Español

The International Surfing Association (ISA) has successfully conducted a sixth official visit to Tokyo ahead of the sport’s historic Olympic debut at the 2020 Games.

The technical visit, led by ISA President Fernando Aguerre, brought into focus the exciting and innovative plans for Surfing at the Games, as Japan is currently also hosting a major Olympic qualification event – the 2019 World Surfing Games presented by Vans – which runs until 15 September in Miyazaki.

ISA President Fernando Aguerre at the Surfing venue for Tokyo 2020, Tsurigasaki Beach. Photo: ISA / Sean Evans
ISA President Fernando Aguerre at the Surfing venue for Tokyo 2020, Tsurigasaki Beach. Photo: ISA / Sean Evans

For the recent official trip to Tokyo, President Aguerre was joined by ISA Executive Director, Robert Fasulo, and Technical Director, Erik Krammer – who met with Tokyo 2020 Chief Games Delivery Officer, Hidemasa Nakamura, Deputy Executive Director of Venue Management, Takeshi Hashizume, and Surfing Sport Manager, Kimifumi Imoto, to discuss the excellent strides being made towards the sport’s landmark moment in Tokyo next year.

A site visit to the Olympic Surfing Venue, Tsuragasaki Beach in Ichinomiya, included an in-depth review and analysis of the venue design and infrastructure together with the Venue Infrastructure and Venue Management teams. The ISA President also took to the waves to personally test out the conditions in the area which is home to some of Japan’s best waves.

Among the key topics under discussion was the Olympic Surfing Festival, which will be an integral part of the fan experience at the Surfing event at Tokyo 2020, and promises to bring a truly innovative, youthful and unique element to the Olympic programme.

Tsurigasaki Beach at the Games will become more than a venue – it will be an experience intrinsically linked to the ethos and lifestyle of Surfing, with activities including yoga, live music, sustainability and ocean safety seminars and much more. The festival will therefore showcase the sport’s vibrant culture and everything that it can offer outside of competition.

The official visit took place as the excitement and anticipation for surfing’s groundbreaking Olympic debut continues to gather pace in Japan and around the world. The 2019 World Surfing Games presented by Vans in the southern, surf-rich prefecture of Miyazaki, is now well underway with the world’s best National Surfing Teams competing for national glory and a place at the Olympic Games. A record 240 athletes from 55 nations are competing in Miyazaki.

From left to right: Tokyo 2020 Surfing Sports Manager Kimifumi Imoto, Nippon Surfing Association President Atsushi Sakai, ISA President Fernando Aguerre, ISA Executive Director Robert Fasulo, and ISA Technical Director Erik Krammer. Photo: ISA / Sean Evans
From left to right: Tokyo 2020 Surfing Sports Manager Kimifumi Imoto, Nippon Surfing Association President Atsushi Sakai, ISA President Fernando Aguerre, ISA Executive Director Robert Fasulo, and ISA Technical Director Erik Krammer. Photo: ISA / Sean Evans

ISA President Fernando Aguerre, said:

“These few days have been another incredible milestone on Surfing’s journey towards our highly anticipated Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our friends at the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee for their ongoing support, hard work and dedication.

“Surfing is a sport for the new era of the Games and is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic programme, showcasing the sport’s unique youthful personality and vibrant culture to new audiences and fans worldwide. We know from experience – from past major ISA competitions in Japan and the ongoing World Surfing Games – that the nation is capable of hosting exceptional, world-class events and I am in no doubt that our landmark moment at Tokyo 2020 will continue in that strong tradition.”

About the International Surfing Association:

The International Surfing Association (ISA), founded in 1964, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. The ISA governs and defines Surfing as Shortboard, Longboard & Bodyboarding, StandUp Paddle (SUP) Racing and Surfing, Bodysurfing, Wakesurfing, and all other wave riding activities on any type of waves, and on flat water using wave riding equipment. The ISA crowned its first Men's and Women's World Champions in 1964. It crowned the first Big Wave World Champion in 1965; World Junior Champion in 1980; World Kneeboard Champions in 1982; World Longboard Surfing and World Bodyboard Champions in 1988; World Tandem Surfing Champions in 2006; World Masters Champions in 2007; and World StandUp Paddle (SUP, both surfing and racing) and Paddleboard Champions in 2012.

ISA membership includes the surfing National Federations of 108 countries on five continents. The ISA is presided over by Fernando Aguerre (ARG). The Executive Committee includes four Vice-Presidents Karín Sierralta (PER), Kirsty Coventry (ZIM), Casper Steinfath (DEN) and Barbara Kendall (NZL), Athletes' Commission Chair Justine Dupont (FRA), Regular Members Atsushi Sakai (JPN) and Jean Luc Arassus (FRA) and ISA Executive Director Robert Fasulo as Ex-officio Member.

Its headquarters are located in La Jolla, California (USA).

For more information, please visit www.isasurf.org

youtube.com/isasurfing
facebook.com/isasurfing
Instagram.com/isasurfing
twitter.com/isasurfing