Photo: WSL
The new Olympic judging tower at Teahupo’o is one step closer to completion. This week, construction crews finished laying the tower’s foundation, as France24 reports. With that first stage now complete, assembly of the tower itself, pre-built on dry land, is set to begin March 11.
The tower first came into the public eye earlier this year. Concerns over damage to the reef prompted protesters to demand that construction of the new tower be scrapped in favor of reusing a wooden tower the WSL had used in earlier broadcasts from the venue. The movement began to gain widespread support, with an online petition that has now amassed over 250,000 signatures.
Work was eventually suspended in December, when a construction barge damaged the coral reef. Despite continued public outcry, including a statement from the International Surfing Association saying it would not support further construction, organizers reiterated that the structure would still be built. Changes were made to the tower’s plan and schedule, after which construction continued.
“Supervision of the construction site by the teams who have used the tower for 20 years, the opening of the information kiosk, and local consultation on ‘environmental and heritage’ issues have favored a return to calm,” Barbara Martins Nio, head of the Tahiti site for the Paris Olympics told the French news hub, AFP.
“We’ve thrown in the towel,” Cindy Otcenasek, president of Vai Ara o Teahupo’o, one of the associations opposed to the work, said, saying they had done “everything that was possible within the limits of the law.”
The tower is expected to be completed by May 13. The first test of the structure will be the WSL’s SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro, which will serve as a sort of “dress rehearsal” for the Olympics.
