TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti (AP) — With the ceremonial blowing of a conch shell and the honking of a referee, the third day of surfing competition at the Paris Olympics in Tahiti began Monday. The male surfers went head-to-head, with some reaching the end of their quest for gold.

Breathtaking waves and constant swell in the morning heat provided a new energy boost for participants and spectators, after Sunday’s moderate conditionswhile conditions deteriorated rapidly around noon due to a storm, resulting in the women’s afternoon match being postponed.

“Today is probably going to be one of the most exciting days … there’s some serious waves out there,” said South Africa’s Jordy Smith, who lost to Peru’s Alonso Correa in the day’s first heat. “I took a few hits.”

French Polynesian surfer Kauli Vaast stepped out of a barrel and rode over a wall of azure water nearly three meters high. He raised his arms in the air and had a big smile on his face. He won his series by knocking out American Griffin Colapinto.

“I just came out, after a great ride, great take-off and great wave,” Vaast said. “That felt good, and I was just too happy and enjoying the moment.”

Colapinto’s loss was the first for the U.S. team in the Paris Olympics surfing competition, after the entire team won their heats on the first day of competition to qualify directly for Monday’s round. John John Florence of the U.S. was also eliminated from the competition.

Brazil also saw its first surfer eliminated from the competition: Filipe Toledo lost to Japan’s Reo Inaba.

Brazil’s Gabriel Medina made Olympic history on the waves, earning the highest score in Olympic surfing history: a 9.9, just shy of a perfect 10. After the ride, he launched himself into the air, raised his right arm and pointed to the sky in a gravity-defying moment.

Sometimes water safety workers would pull surfers out of the water on jet skis after a ride, tow them to calmer waters and then spray them back into the waves.

“It’s really dangerous out there. It’s super shallow … you can see the corals,” Medina said after his win over Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi.

On land, emotions were running high. There were many curses from losing surfers as they returned to shore. Broken boards, shattered by the force of the waves, were laid out on the ground and inspected by teams shaking their heads. Staff from opposing teams, competing against each other, whistled in awe and clapped at their opponents’ rides, and were amazed as surfers emerged from heavy barrels of water.

Around noon, a strong wind picked up, worsening surfing conditions, disrupting the men’s final heats and causing the women’s race to be postponed.

Monday was the final day of competition for the men before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and gold medal heats take place on the fourth and final day of competition.

Correa from Peru, Inaba from Japan, Joan Duru and Vaast from France, Joao Chianca and Medina from Brazil, Ethan Ewing and Jack Robinson from Australia all qualified for the final day of the men’s competition.

The remainder of the competition will function as a single-elimination, head-to-head bracket. Each heat will feature two surfers, with the winner advancing to the final stages of the competition: the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final heat for the gold medal.

The next day of competition will be determined after the officials have assessed the golf conditions.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games