Teahupo’o produced huge waves, wipeouts, iconic photos, best day in surfing history

The competition had to be called off before the third round of the women’s event could get underway, as howling winds and rain squalls swept in, sabotaging the spectacular sets. Still, spirits were high among the competitors who didn’t have a chance to paddle out.

“I don’t think as surfers we could have asked for more in the first few days of this Olympic Games — it really showed what this wave can do and what the surfers can do,” American surfer Carissa Moore, the reigning gold medalist from the Tokyo Games, told Reuters. Moore and a handful of other pros still found a way to hit the waves in the afternoon, surfing at a nearby beach with some local children on the island.