Rob Demello previews Hawaiʻi’s surf Olympians

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The 2024 Paris Olympics will soon be underway, and there has been lots of exciting connections to Hawaiʻi, especially in surfing! This year, some of the best surfers from Hawaiʻi are competing, and it’s going to be amazing to watch.

KHON2.com caught up with Rob Demello, sports director at KHON2 Sports. He gave us the inside scoop on the big names going for the gold.

“The 2024 Paris Olympics have a lot of Hawaiʻi ties in surfing. You’ve got some of the biggest names in the game right now,” Demello shared.

First up, we have Carissa Moore. She is the defending gold medalist in women’s surfing.

“Carissa Moore, the defending gold medalist, is going for back-to-back titles here in 2024,” said Demello.

Although she’s not competing in the World Surf League (WSL) anymore, Moore has been training hard at the famous Teahupoʻo in Tahiti. Everyone is excited to see if she can win another gold!

In the men’s division, John John Florence is representing the United States.

“John John Florence, a two-time world champion, participated in the last Olympics but didn’t medal. He is currently ranked number one in the world in the WSL,” explained Demello.

With his current top ranking, Florence has a lot of momentum going into the competition.

But it’s not just the Americans with Hawaiʻi ties who are making waves. Tatiana Weston-Webb from Kauaʻi is competing for Brazil.

“She is an absolute firehouse,” Demello said. Weston-Webb recently scored a perfect 10 at Teahupoʻo during the WSL Tahiti Pro and finished as the runner-up. She’s definitely someone to watch.

Brisa Hennessy from Oʻahu is another surfer to keep an eye on. She’s competing for Costa Rica.

“Brisa Hennessy held the number one ranking earlier this season on the WSL,” Demello noted.

Hennessy has finished as the runner-up two out of the last three times she surfed at Teahupoʻo, so she’s familiar with the wave and ready to compete.

There’s also a big name behind the scenes: Shane Dorian from Kailua-Kona. He’s the head coach for the American surfing team.

“Shane Dorian is a Big Island surfing legend and a multiple-time big wave surfing champion,” said Demello. Dorian’s experience will be crucial as he helps Moore and Florence John go for gold.

This is only the second time surfing has been part of the Olympics. The first time was in Japan, where Moore won the gold.

Demello pointed out, “In Japan, it was a smaller wave. It took a lot of precision for Carissa to get that title. Now, we’re going to Tahiti at Teahupoʻo, one of the most iconic waves in all of professional surfing.”

Teahupoʻo is known for its powerful and beautiful waves.

“The power is unbelievable,” Demello added. “It’s going to be awesome television viewing to watch these surfers take on this wave.”

With such talented surfers from Hawaiʻi competing and a legendary coach guiding the team, the 2024 Paris Olympics surfing event is set to be thrilling. Make sure to tune in and cheer for our Hawaiʻi surfers as they ride the waves and aim for gold!