Sanoa Dempfle-Olin of Tofino will represent Team Canada at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in women’s shortboard, which will take place in Teahupo’o, Tahiti.
CSA Surf Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced she is the first-ever surfing athlete named to the Canadian Olympic Team.
Dempfle-Olin provisionally qualified for Paris 2024 this past October when she advanced to the final of the women’s shortboard competition at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, making her the top-ranked surfer in the event who had not already qualified.
She went on to win the women’s shortboard silver medal at Santiago 2023. She later confirmed her spot at Paris 2024 by competing at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games, where she finished tied for 13th.
“I feel so proud to be the first Canadian to qualify for surfing in the Olympics,” said Dempfle-Olin. “Being born and raised in Tofino, B.C and learning to surf in the North Pacific waters off of Vancouver Island has been so special. Being in the Olympics is a dream coming true and it’s an honour to represent myself, my family, my community and our island and all it’s given me along with all the local surfers who helped pave this path, as well as those that will follow in my footsteps. I feel so grateful for the opportunity.”
Surfing is scheduled to take place July 27-30 (Day 1 to 4) in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, with contingency days planned for July 31-August 4.
Shannon Brown of Tofino will coach Dempfle-Olin in Tahiti during the Games.
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