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Organizers of the Paris Olympics say work will resume on the new judging tower for the surfing event at Teahupo’o. This comes hot on the heels of an uproar over collateral damage to the reef caused by a construction barge.
Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris Olympics organizing committee, said Monday that preparations at Teahupo’o will start again this week, as reported by the Associated Press. In reference to purported damage to the reef that has already occurred, Estanguet said the previous test “went very badly.” The organizers explained that a smaller barge has been located “to not damage the coral,” and this week they will attempt to locate a route for it through the reef.
The pause in construction occurred after a construction barge slated to install the judging tower became stuck on the reef during a test. Concerned onlookers posted video of the stuck barge, as well as images of broken coral they attributed to the incident. This event and others have caused many to call for construction of the tower to halt. Moetai Brotherson, the president of French Polynesia, went so far as to say “If there’s no solution in the end… we must call into question the survival of the surf contests at Teahupo’o.”
However, Olympic organizers have maintained that the site of the competition will not change. Now that they have decided to continue, construction to erect the tower should start by the end of the year. A competition at Teahupo’o in May will test the venue’s readiness for the Olympics in July, Estanguet said.
“We welcome this progress,” added Estanguet.
