Cover photo: ISA/Jimenez 

International Surfing Association President Fernando Aguerre stated that through the new path to the Olympic Games, “elite surfers now have more options than ever to qualify,” he told Stab.

"The CT remains the top priority in the hierarchy," he explained, justifying the decision to send the best surfers halfway through the circuit by saying the rankings should reflect surfers at their peak at the time of the Games. "This guarantees the best of the best at that moment, not the best of the best a year ago," he added.

He also said that while there have been CT participations in the ISAs before: "Now they have an interest in competing, not an obligation."

Furthermore, the ISA, in the comments section of posts related to the Olympic Games, issued a statement detailing: “Changes to the 2020/2024 Qualification System: The expansion from 2 to 3 athletes per nation creates additional opportunities for top professional surfers. In addition to the 5 direct qualification slots for the WSL CT per gender, CT surfers also have several opportunities to qualify through the ISA World Surfing Games and continental Olympic qualification events.”

And he adds, echoing Aguerre's comments, that the best of the moment will now be going.

And it concludes: “No changes to the 2020/2024 Qualification System: Since surfing's inclusion in the Olympic Games, the ISA has maintained a direct qualification system through the WSL CT, as it remains to this day. ISA events serve as official Olympic qualification events, in line with the Olympic qualification systems of many sports. ISA events are open to National Teams, which have also included CT athletes. (Gabriel Medina qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico).”