Everything you need to know about the ISA and Olympic surfing today, with President Fernando Aguerre

ISA will receive approximately US$ 2028 to 12 million per Olympic cycle from 14; Huntington and Lowers are leading candidates; longboarding has more chances than SUP; there is optimism for para surfing and it would “like” to go for a tenth re-election, among other things


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Starting in 2028, the ISA will receive approximately US$12 to US$14 million per Olympic cycle, the organization's president, Fernando Aguerre, told DUKE in an interview during the Surf City El Salvador ISA World Surfing Games.

“It will change our lives,” said the authority, explaining that with this money they will be able to put more emphasis on sports development programs and also go to places where they want to organize championships so that they can take place. He gave the example of the junior world championship, which he categorized as “essential.”

Since surfing is already a permanent and successful sport in the games, Aguerre said that he fought to get this money from Paris but did not succeed.

Speaking about what will happen at the games from which the ISA will receive money, Aguerre said that there is a high probability that the two waves will be either Huntington Beach or Trestles, different venues for the games because the latter is a national park and has some restrictions. The decision of the wave chosen for the event “is a decision that must be sealed and approved by the ISA.”

On the other hand, he said that longboarding is more likely to be included in Los Angeles 2028 than SUP because it implies that the authorities accept a new discipline in the games. He said that longboarding is a new event: “Longboarding is another surfing event”, basically explaining that it implies that the structure that was already going to be in place for shortboarding is used for long boards and that the same does not happen with SUP.

Meanwhile, he has faith that parasurfing will become a reality by 2028: “I am quite optimistic, more than 50%.”

Regarding what will happen in Tahiti during the surfing event, he said that this year's TC will act as a test event for the Olympic Games and that he will be there.

Various forms of accommodation will be evaluated, although a boat that acts as a floating hotel has not been ruled out. These are decisions that have not yet been made.

Asked about his relationship with the WSL, Aguerre said it was “cordial” and that the directors would be present on the final day of the World Cup being held in El Salvador.

He does not consider changing the qualification system on the women's side, which he is consulted on because basically all the surfers who are on the CT qualify, even some who do not make the mid-year cut.

Finally, he said that he does not rule out running for a tenth re-election that would keep him as president until 2030, "I would like to," he declared, but he repeated on more than one occasion and with different examples that anything could happen to him and he would not be able to run.

He is not concerned by criticism that his term was long and could be longer, saying that those who might say that did not sit down with him.

He is more relaxed these days about who his possible successors might be, pointing to two members of the executive committee who give him confidence and who he likes as presidents. But he also said that the next ISA president could be someone who is not a member and who has the desire and the skills to be one.