Surfing in Tahiti... And on the Seine? Done too! In a gesture as symbolic as it was unprecedented, Kauli Vaast, freshly gold medalist in surfing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, achieved a unique feat: surfing on the Seine, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. On Friday August 9, the day after his arrival in mainland France, the young Tahitian prodigy put on a memorable show for Parisians and tourists alike, celebrating his Olympic triumph in the most original of ways.
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After dominating the fearsome waves of Teahupo'o to claim the Olympic title, Kauli Vaast, aged just 22, continued his adventure by braving the calmer but equally historic waters of the Seine. In front of an amazed crowd massed between the Alma and Iéna bridges, the surfer spent an hour defying the artificial waves generated by a boat. The Tahitian icon, with his gold medal around his neck, offered a unique moment of communion between sport and the City of Light, fusing his sporting feat with the majesty of Paris.
" Surfing the Seine, behind the Eiffel Tower, in the middle of the Olympic period, is a unique and unforgettable moment," Kauli Vaast told Le Parisien. Despite the difference in size between Teahupo' o's waves and those created by the Parisian boat, the champion made no secret of his delight at having been able to enjoy this singular experience. For him, this performance is much more than just a technical challenge: it's a dream come true, an original way of sharing his victory with the Parisian public.
