Olympics-Surfing-Competition called off in Tahiti as weather forces nail-biting wait

By Lincoln Feast

TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti (Reuters) -Competition was cancelled at the Olympic surfing venue of Teahupo'o in Tahiti on Wednesday after an initial call to run, with conditions still super challenging after a storm swept though the region, forcing organisers to put the event on hold.

Tahiti's Teahupo'o delivered some of the best conditions ever seen for a competition for the men's round three on Monday before strong winds ripped through the lineup and continued into Tuesday.

Wednesday brought home the challenges of forecasting waves and weather on an isolated island in the South Pacific.

With time running out to finish competition, organisers originally said they would send the women's round three out into a maelstrom of 15-foot stormy surf at one of the world's most dangerous waves.

They quickly changed their minds, however, and cancelled for the day, leaving a nail-biting wait to wrap up the event and decide the medals.

Running for half a day on Wednesday would have allowed organisers to complete competition and crown medallists on Thursday, which look to be the best conditions left in the waiting period that ends on Monday.

One-and-a-half days of competition remain now, meaning a finish is more likely at the weekend - but far from certain.

Kevin Wallis, head of forecasting at Surfline.com, which works with the Olympic surf organisers, said a repeat of Monday's stunning conditions was unlikely.

"In a perfect world, you get four really great days of surf like we had on Monday morning, but that doesn't always happen," Wallis told Reuters during the break in competition on Tuesday.

"We've been super lucky so far. We've had two and a half days of anywhere from good to unbelievably all-time good in the case of Monday morning.

"So I would just look whether we get anything more like that the rest of the waiting period - probably not - but we've got a day-and-a-half to finish. We've got to try and find the best day-and-a-half left in the waiting period."

When surfing resumes, women's round three action will see Australian world champion Tyler Wright up against Israel's Anat Lelior before local favourite Vahine Fierro takes on countrywoman Johanne Defay in heat two.

Friendly fire is a theme for the men's quarter-finals too, with France's Kauli Vaast and Joan Duru meeting, along with Brazil's Joao Chianca and Gabriel Medina, while Ethan Ewing and Jack Robinson of Australia will be fighting for a semi-final berth.

(Reporting by Lincoln Feast in Tahiti; Editing by Ken Ferris)