France's Vaast, USA's Marks win Olympic surfing golds
France's Kauli Vaast won men's surfing Olympic gold Monday on his Tahitian home waves at Teahupo'o, while the United States' Caroline Marks claimed gold in the women's event in a thrilling final that went down to the wire.
Vaast, who grew up nearby, beat Australian silver medallist Jack Robinson to claim France's first Olympic surfing gold after taking the two best waves of a high-level match.
Three-time surfing world champion and viral photo sensation Gabriel Medina of Brazil took bronze in the men's event after going into the Games as a widely tipped favourite.
Local surfing prodigy Vaast took the lead on Monday from the start, scoring a 9.50 on his first wave, and racking up a total of 17.67 against 7.83 for Robinson, who conceded in the final moments.
Medina, who was beaten in the semi-final by Robinson after taking only one wave, was more creative in Monday's bronze match against the surprise of the men's draw, Alonso Correa, winning with a score of 15.54 to the Peruvian's 12.43.
An AFP photograph of Medina celebrating after kicking out of a wave last week after a ride that earned a record Olympic score became a global sensation, and a defining image of the sport and the Paris Olympics.
Marks, meanwhile, pipped Brazil's Tatiana Weston-Webb by just 0.17 points to become the second American Olympic surfing champion after Carissa Moore in 2021.
France's Johanne Defay took bronze in the women's event, scoring 12.66 to Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy's 4.93.
In an evenly-matched final that was only decided in the final few minutes, the 22-year-old world champion Marks scored 10.50 with her best two waves, just enough to pip the Brazilian who managed 10.33.
Born in Florida, the young American moved as a teenager to San Clemente, California, a hotbed of America surfing, where the WSL finals have been held for the past two years.
S.Smith--EWJ
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