A delegation of representatives of Hossegor's bid to host surfing at Paris 2024 was present at Lima 2019 with the aim of learning first-hand about Olympic events and creating ties with surfing cities such as Punta Hermosa, taking steps towards achieving the firm desire that their city, along with Seignosse and Capbreton, host surfing at Paris 2024.

Present were the Deputy Mayor of Hossegor, Henri Arbeille, the coordinator of outdoor sports for the Landes department, Laurène Queury, and Guillaume Perissinotti, coordinator of international public relations for the #WESURF2024 bid.

Their presence acted as a clear symbol of how things work in Olympic terms: Surfing has not yet debuted in Tokyo 2020, nor has it been confirmed for Paris 2024, but nevertheless three French people were present in Punta Rocas wanting to advance their learning, create relationships and get closer to their city being the host.

In fact, the winning city will be announced without it being 100% confirmed that Paris 2024 will surf (the organizers are expected to make it public at the end of the year or the beginning of next year).

Hossegor is competing against Biarritz, La Torche, Lacanau and Tahiti, which appears to be the favourite of the French government because it has been revealed that the Ministry of Sport itself went looking for the Polynesians to present themselves.

The capital of the European surfing industry, home of the CT event, the Quik Pro and one of the most traditional surf spots in Europe has a solid plan to make the decision in its favour and Henri Arbeille shares it in an interview below.

As soon as you heard about Paris 2024, how was your reaction?
I thought it would be an exceptional event because it will be 100 years since the last Games in Paris in 1924.

Did you think about surfing at that time?
Yes, of course, Hossegor is a famous surfing town, it is a surfing centre. The history there is linked to surfing and besides this sporting activity, there is the economic aspect. Many companies, international surfing brands, have their offices in Hossegor, also the surfing federation and the European centre for sports re-education. In addition, the Quiksilver Pro takes place there.

This idea of ​​participating was born when the inclusion of surfing in Tokyo 2020 was announced. We had the vision that if Paris 2024 was included, they would have a chance to participate and that is where we started the union with the three cities, Hossegor, Capbreton and Seignosse. It had already started a long time before.

What benefits do you think hosting the Olympic Games will bring to Hossegor?
In Hossegor, surfing is a way of life. Through surfing, they can communicate with the younger generations to transmit fundamental values, such as respect, but also, as we heard a lot during this Lima 2019 event, when you are in the water, we are all equal, it is a social inclusion and all thanks to surfing.

Respect for the environment and the ocean. Thanks to this project, links are being developed at an international level, which allows us to open our minds, learn from other cultures and see to what extent surfing can have a positive impact. That is why we have approached Peru and we are also developing alliances with Japan.

The main benefit is tourism, or not?
The whole issue of the candidatures makes it possible to highlight that surfing in France has a lot of influence and is very popular. Thanks to these four candidatures in France and Tahiti. The second point is of course tourism, to have more visibility and to make the whole department and not just the city known, we have a great diversity of other sports and natural activities.

People all over the world know Hossegor, but there are also 14 or 15 surf spots nearby that are of a very good standard.

The third point is to show that Hossegor is a territory that can communicate and represent the values ​​of Olympism. It is a city that has been promoted as an elegant place, with a high level of culture and history. It is a good place to reflect all these very powerful Olympic values.

Why do you want Hossegor to host the Olympic surfing games?
To give surfing back what it needed. Surfing is part of history and lifestyle, it is something that is passed down from generation to generation, the fact that surfing is becoming an Olympic sport is a recognition that surfing deserves. Surfing is a sport that we love and we try to support it in the best way possible by hosting the Olympic Games.

But there would still be an economic and tourist benefit.
Human and social.

A giant injection for the city.
Evidently.

How important is that factor for you?
The human side is more important than the economic side. The transmission of values ​​and sharing, international cooperation, the fact that we are all connected, is something that surfing also conveys, the connection with the environment and between human beings.

When we talk about the benefits for Hossegor by hosting this, you have all the issues, economic, tourist, etc., but the most important is the legacy, hosting a specific event that is the Olympic Games, to leave a long-term legacy that has no comparison with any other strategy, the Olympic Games are an incredible legacy superior to all the other points.

It is a combination of so many things and it is not only for the city, but also for the whole country and for the world of surfing, because Hossegor has the level to represent the international surfing community.

Why is Hossegor better for hosting the Olympic Games than Tahiti, La Torche, Lacanau and Biarritz?
You can't answer that in one word. I don't like to compare, it's not about being better, it's about another dimension. Hossegor already has a surfing legacy, it's not something that has been invented, it's something that is already part of its very essence, as we said before, the economy, the surf companies present, the tourism, it already has an international reputation at this level that the rest cannot have.

And the waves?
An exceptional site with a worldwide reputation. Hossegor is all about surfing, and it is also about the human approach that interests them in the Olympic Games to transmit human values. On the waves, Hossegor has world-famous waves, we all know that. It has not received an ISA, but the ISA is not the highest technical level of the championships, we have received the Quiksilver Pro.

It is a tubular wave and there is no doubt that it is one of the best waves in the world with a power that is compared to waves in Hawaii and Tahiti as well.

In Hossegor we have a fault, an underwater canyon, which allows the swell to arrive with all its power and also generates a diversity of fauna and flora that is part of the very essence of surfing. It is something that cannot be found in the other sites that are applying. In the season when the Olympic Games will be held, in summer, it is the site that has the most consistency compared to the others in France.

In the pre-submission of the application that we sent 15 days ago, we were asked to analyse data on the last 10 years of swell forecasts, and we have had very good results here. For example, a year ago, on July 30, there was an incredible, tubular swell that you can find photos of everywhere.

Whether we have the Olympic Games or not, we will continue with the same mentality, focusing on surfing. It is an integral part of the bid: We have credibility and proof of our will to carry this bid through to the end and make the Games successful thanks to all the activities we are doing, travelling abroad, developing links with Japan, Peru and strategic places where the path to Olympics is already being paved. There is a professional team behind this.

What signals have they received so far from the Paris organizing committee? Have they received any signals? Positive or negative.
There was a visit a few days ago. Last Wednesday, inspectors were sent to Hossegor. The objective information they received was that there was no criticism of the application file they had sent. They had the right to demand more information or express doubts and there was no reflection. Later, subjectively, there were other comments. They focused on the technical issue, the infrastructure and the environmental issue. It seems that they were satisfied because there were no complaints or requests for more information. What they had delivered was sufficient and complete.

The person in charge of the candidacy received this delegation and said that in this short period of time he has received congratulations for the professionalism and commitment to this very complete application. We did not expect so much.

And did they make observations in the other cities?
We don't know, the only thing we can say is that we were lucky when they came to inspect us because there was sun and waves and that was not the case in other cities (laughs).

The novelty of Tahiti, it seems, was born from within the organizing committee.
From the very ministry of France that went to look for him.

It's like one of the negative signals that you have, is as the main competitor.
Yes of course.

What can we say about Tahiti's candidacy that seems like "wow"?
It looks nice. We don't want to comment on the other candidates, out of respect, out of humility, because we think it's an advantage, good news that by representing France the whole world learns that there are many good quality places to surf throughout the country, so we don't want to make negative comments about other places.

But you said that yours is the best?
Yes, we have a better commission.

Finally, if you get a negative response, how will you feel?
Of course there could be a slight feeling of disappointment, but not really negative, not at all, because what matters is the candidacy, what matters is the path behind this candidacy and where this path is taking us.

Whether we win or not, all this work that is being done will continue. It is a legacy in itself without a final objective, because everything that is being developed in terms of cooperation and showing our professionalism, the visibility that we are giving to the territory, is the most important thing.

The fact that we are able to host the event is a spectacular plus, of course, but the essence is in the journey. Surfing is what is going to win, that is the main interest. It goes beyond the candidacy.