Saffi Vette will surf for New Zealand at the 2024 Olympic Games. Photo / Photosport
Saffi Vette will surf for New Zealand at the 2024 Olympic Games. Photo / Photosport
Recently qualified Olympic surfer Saffi Vette has had a stark introduction to the venue for the 2024 Games.
Earning her place in the line-up for next year’s showpiece, Vette was part of an Olympic training camp at the famed break Teahupo’o in Tahiti.
However, her involvement in the on-water activitieswas heavily limited after she tore the medial collateral ligament in her right knee in the surf on just the second day of the week-long camp.
Teahupo’o is a break known for its size and power, but Vette’s injury didn’t quite provide the gnarly tale that might be assumed.
“I could have done it outside of my house. I just took off on a wave, my back foot slipped off my board and it just got twisted in the whitewash,” Vette told the Herald.
“I wish it was on, like, an eight-foot wave, but it was on honestly like three to four feet. I’ve done this before, but not to this kind of level, and I think it was due to the fact that the wave is so powerful, that it ends so fast, that it just took advantage of my knee. I just twisted it a funny way - that’s about it. Really, nothing too exciting.
“It was pretty average because I could have done it anywhere.”
Instead of being out in the surf, potentially on the wave of her life, the 21-year-old from Gisborne watched from the channel with the spectator boats to learn what she could about the break.
The injury will keep her out of the water for approximately another six weeks, but she is hopeful about getting back to Teahupo’o for another shot at the break in October – though realistic about that timeline potentially being a bit too soon.
It was an interesting choice of venue to host surfing in the 2024 Games when mainland France has several world-class breaks such as Hossegor, Biarritz and Lacanau, with far fewer risk factors than the tubes of Teahupo’o.
Italo Ferreira of Brazil had plenty of headroom while riding this wave during the World Surf League event at Teahupo'o in 2022. Photo / Getty Images
“You watch this wave on YouTube when it’s code red and it’s just this monstrous left-hand slab. They make this wave out to be like you’re going to die here,” Vette said.
“But it’s not always code red out there, and it’s such a beautiful wave to just watch from the channel.
“It’s like an entertainment wave. People go out there, they pay money to go and watch it. It’s not a cute wave, and going from the boat ramp to the channel and seeing this wave for the first time, it was smaller, but even when it’s smaller, it’s so perfect and it’s just so beautiful and the water is clear; you can see the reef. But you know when it’s going to get bigger, it’s going to get gnarly.”
The Tahitian wave only returned as a stop on the World Surf League women’s championship tour in 2022, ending a 16-year gap between women’s events at the venue. In 2006, the wave was deemed too dangerous for women by the Association of Surfing Professionals. It was a decision that led to anger and allegations of misogyny as several of the world’s best female surfers argued against the decision – with multiple-time event winner Keala Kennelly arguing the wave was one of the most dangerous in the world and could destroy any surfer.
The WSL championship tour returns to Teahupo’o this weekend, and Vette will be watching with interest as she continues her rehabilitation.
“Watching the contest in the next few weeks is going to be really interesting. I’ve got a lot of time on my hands right now to really watch and study it in a contest format, and really just make the most of seeing them in the line-up and what they do.
“I’m excited to watch them and then hopefully make a trip back there in October and just really dial into this wave then, because there are so many different variables to this wave.
“You really just have to commit to this spot, and that’s what I’m going do. I can’t wait to dial my technique and dial my equipment, and hopefully just have the best lead-up into the Olympics next year.”
