A century later, a lot riding on surfing's Olympic debut
FILE - In this Thursday, July 18, 2019, file photo, a surfer competes during a test event at Tsurigasaki beach, a venue for surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in Ichinomiya, Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo. The International Surfing Association has been lobbying the International Olympic Committee since 1995, though the effort to include the sport dates back to the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, FIle)

FILE - In this Thursday, July 18, 2019, file photo, a surfer competes during a test event at Tsurigasaki beach, a venue for surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in Ichinomiya, Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo. The International Surfing Association has been lobbying the International Olympic Committee since 1995, though the effort to include the sport dates back to the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, FIle)

Jun. 30, 2021 11:02 AM EDT
FILE - In this Tuesday, May 12, 2015 file photo, Carissa Moore competes in the first round of the 2015 Oi Rio Pro World Surf League competition at Barra da Tijuca beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The geopolitics of the Olympics will be on display when Carissa Moore and John John Florence are in the surf zone. They’re two of professional surfing’s biggest stars and both compete in the World Surf League under the Hawaii flag. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

FILE - In this Tuesday, May 12, 2015 file photo, Carissa Moore competes in the first round of the 2015 Oi Rio Pro World Surf League competition at Barra da Tijuca beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The geopolitics of the Olympics will be on display when Carissa Moore and John John Florence are in the surf zone. They’re two of professional surfing’s biggest stars and both compete in the World Surf League under the Hawaii flag. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

Jun. 30, 2021 09:56 AM EDT
FILE - Surfer Kelly Slater performs during an Olympic exhibition of the USA Surfing Junior championships at the Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif., in this Tuesday, June 22, 2021, file photo. There’s a lot riding on surfing’s Olympic debut: a taste of the mainstream spotlight, the athletic legitimacy for the uniquely four-dimensional sport, and, perhaps, some newfound respect so it can finally shake its stereotype as merely the pleasure pursuit of beach town himbos. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP, File)

FILE - Surfer Kelly Slater performs during an Olympic exhibition of the USA Surfing Junior championships at the Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif., in this Tuesday, June 22, 2021, file photo. There’s a lot riding on surfing’s Olympic debut: a taste of the mainstream spotlight, the athletic legitimacy for the uniquely four-dimensional sport, and, perhaps, some newfound respect so it can finally shake its stereotype as merely the pleasure pursuit of beach town himbos. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP, File)

Jun. 30, 2021 09:50 AM EDT
FILE - In this Tuesday May 17, 2011, file photo, Kelly Slater of the U.S. competes in round one of the Billabong Rio Pro men's surfing competition at the Arpoador Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There’s a lot riding on surfing’s Olympic debut: a taste of the mainstream spotlight, the athletic legitimacy for the uniquely four-dimensional sport, and, perhaps, some newfound respect so it can finally shake its stereotype as merely the pleasure pursuit of beach town himbos.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

FILE - In this Tuesday May 17, 2011, file photo, Kelly Slater of the U.S. competes in round one of the Billabong Rio Pro men's surfing competition at the Arpoador Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There’s a lot riding on surfing’s Olympic debut: a taste of the mainstream spotlight, the athletic legitimacy for the uniquely four-dimensional sport, and, perhaps, some newfound respect so it can finally shake its stereotype as merely the pleasure pursuit of beach town himbos.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

Jun. 30, 2021 09:52 AM EDT
FILE - In this Wednesday, May 16, 2012, file photo, U.S. surfer John John Florence competes to win the Association of Surfing Professionals, ASP, Billabong Rio Pro surfing competition at Barra da Tijuca beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The geopolitics of the Olympics will be on display when Carissa Moore and John John Florence are in the surf zone. They’re two of professional surfing’s biggest stars and both compete in the World Surf League under the Hawaii flag. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, May 16, 2012, file photo, U.S. surfer John John Florence competes to win the Association of Surfing Professionals, ASP, Billabong Rio Pro surfing competition at Barra da Tijuca beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The geopolitics of the Olympics will be on display when Carissa Moore and John John Florence are in the surf zone. They’re two of professional surfing’s biggest stars and both compete in the World Surf League under the Hawaii flag. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

Jun. 30, 2021 09:55 AM EDT
FILE - Surfer Kelly Slater is shown after surfing during an Olympic exhibition at the USA Surfing Junior championships at the Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif., in this Tuesday, June 22, 2021, file photo. Slater, at 49 years old, is likely the oldest and most famous Olympic alternate. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP, File)

FILE - Surfer Kelly Slater is shown after surfing during an Olympic exhibition at the USA Surfing Junior championships at the Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif., in this Tuesday, June 22, 2021, file photo. Slater, at 49 years old, is likely the oldest and most famous Olympic alternate. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP, File)

Jun. 30, 2021 09:51 AM EDT
FILE - In this Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015, file photo, Kanoa Igarashi attempts a 360 air during his win in the Vans Pro Men's final at the 53rd annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championship in Virginia Beach, Va. It’s a full-circle kind of Olympic connection for Kanoa Igarashi, the 23-year-old Californian with dual Japanese citizenship who is representing Japan. He’s been surfing at the Olympic site, Tsurigasaki beach, his whole life and the location is deeply sentimental for his family. (L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot via AP, File)

FILE - In this Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015, file photo, Kanoa Igarashi attempts a 360 air during his win in the Vans Pro Men's final at the 53rd annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championship in Virginia Beach, Va. It’s a full-circle kind of Olympic connection for Kanoa Igarashi, the 23-year-old Californian with dual Japanese citizenship who is representing Japan. He’s been surfing at the Olympic site, Tsurigasaki beach, his whole life and the location is deeply sentimental for his family. (L. Todd Spencer/The Virginian-Pilot via AP, File)

Jun. 30, 2021 09:54 AM EDT