Teahupo'o Turns it On for Tahiti Surf Pro

Photo caption:  Kelly Slater slices through Teahupoo. Credit Steve Dickinson.

Each year around August a very big wave literally swamps the tiny Tahitian town of Teahupo’o, more than quadrupling its population with the world’s best surfers and their travelling caravan of fans, media and sponsors.

This year is no different, with surf legends like Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning and Adriano de Souza lining up for more than $500,000 in prize money in the 2014 Billabong Pro.

Tahiti Tourisme New Zealand Director Robert Thompson said the Billabong Pro always attracted plenty of tourists to Tahiti but this year’s big swell was causing a boon for the local tourism industry with flawless three to five metre waves curling over the famous break.

Mr Thompson said New Zealanders and Tahitians shared a love of the ocean and surfing and even when Teahupo’o wasn’t in competition mode, there were always lots of Kiwis itching to take on the monster wave.
   
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