Cover photo: Salter left Teahupoo for Japan. Note presented by the International Surfing Association

The first ever World Surfing Games to qualify for the Olympic Games confirmed its list of registered athletes with the long-awaited news that the record number of nations registered was broken, reaching 55 with five debutants: American Samoa, Lebanon, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The event, which will take place from September 7 to 15 in Miyazaki, Japan, will unite 240 athletes seeking to fulfill their dream of qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The best men and women from Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania will earn a spot in the Olympic debut of surfing.

The previous record for competing nations was 47, which was set at the 2017 ISA World Surfing Games in Biarritz, France.

American Samoa, Lebanon, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand will be making their debut in the tournament.

On the other hand, another record was broken in relation to female participation. In Tahara 2018 there was a record of 93 women and now in Miyazaki there will be 103, which makes up 43% of the total number of entrants.

And, it is no less important that Kelly Slater (USA), Carissa Moore (USA), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Julian Wilson (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Filipe Toledo (BRA), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Jordy Smith (RSA), Johanne Defay (FRA), Jeremy Flores (FRA), and Michel Bourez (FRA) will be present, who, to be Olympians, are obliged to be part of this tournament.

“With a record number of national teams, the participation of the sport’s best athletes and qualification for Tokyo 2020 at stake, this is undoubtedly the most significant World Surfing Games in history,” said ISA President Fernando Aguerre.

He added: “I’m more than ready for nine days of passion, camaraderie and inspired surfing with Tokyo 2020 in sight.”