Australia’s Olympic surfers presented with fins ahead of 2024 Paris games

It started in Tokyo and has become a sacred tradition for all Australian surfers who compete at the Olympics. Go inside the ‘gifting of the fins’ ceremony 100 days out from the Paris Games.

Olympic surfers at Bells Beach . L-R. Jack Robinson, Tyler Wright, Molly Picklum and Ethan Ewing . Pic: Michael Klein

A Tokyo Olympics ceremony has become tradition for the Australian Irukandji surfing team who have been presented with gifts that will etch their name into history forever.

The ‘gifting of the fins’ was conducted ahead of the recent Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach event in Victoria with Ethan Ewing, Molly Picklum, Jack Robinson and Tyler Wright all receiving trophies designed and crafted by Indigenous artist Melissa Brown.

Each of the four surfers have provisionally qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“The gifting of the fins is a tradition that started in Tokyo. This cycle, we collaborated with Indigenous artist Melissa Brown from Scrappy Souls to create these fins inscribed with their Olympic number and artwork,” Surfing Australia high performance director Kate Wilcomes said 100 days out from the start of the Games.

Ethan Ewing of Australia prior to surfing in Heat 2 of the Quarterfinals at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach on March 31, 2024 at Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia. Picture: Ed Sloane/World Surf League.

“The athletes were thrilled to see the Irukandji jellyfish entwined with the kangaroo and emu paw representing the coat of arms, adding to the stories and culture of the 2024 Olympic Team.”

Inaugural Australian Olympic surfers Sally Fitzgibbons, Steph Gilmore, Julian Wilson and Owen Wright were given numbers one to four while the latest batch of representatives have filled numbers five to eight.

The fins are made of timber offcuts from the Northern Beaches.

“We, as a business, we’re so honoured to be asked to provide these trophies, and as a proud Indigenous woman, I wanted them to hold special meaning for their recipients, conveyed through the artwork,” Brown said.

Tyler Wright of Australia surfs in the Round of 16 during the 2024 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach on March 27, 2024 in Winkipop, Australia. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

“Using hand drawn wood burning techniques, the Irukandji design incorporates Indigenous artwork depicting both kangaroo and emu tracks, reflecting the Australian Coat of Arms while paying respect to the Indigenous land and country which the Irukandji Australian Olympic surf team athletes will be representing at the Paris Games.

“The incorporation of these animals was also fitting in that they symbolise the athletes moving forward in their endeavours, as neither animal can move backwards easily. The trophies were shaped into surfboard fin templates by hand and created using recycled wood, with care for our country and environment in mind.”