Paris Olympics surfing eyesore infuriates Kelly Slater

Surfing legend Kelly Slater has torn the Olympics to shreds over a controversial sight at the Paris Games’ surfing site.

Kelly Slater and the controversial tower. Photo: AFP and Getty, Ed Sloane.

Surfing legend Kelly Slater has torn the Olympics to shreds over the controversial tower at the iconic Teahupo’o reef break.

The American has led the charge for those campaigning to have the $5 million judging tower pulled down at the picturesque French Polynesian location where the Paris Games’ surfing is being held in Tahiti.

The 52-year-old has thrown his support behind locals who have been left furious with the intrusive structure where Olympics officials are supervising the event which began on July 28.

Last year it made international headlines when locals protested against the construction and a petition for its demolition received more than 170,000 signatures.

Kelly Slater and the controversial tower. Photo: AFP and Getty, Ed Sloane.

As the action continues in Paris, the world’s best surfers are 15,000km away on the other side of the planet.

But the surfing is already much more enthralling this time around than when it made its debut at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago — taking place on one of the best surfing locations on the planet.

But the 11-time world champion isn’t truly convinced by what the spectacle will look like.

“Doesn’t make any sense to need such a giant tower for a 2 days event,” Slater commented in response to a video posted by local surfer Matahi Drollet, who condemned the plans to begin building the downgraded 14m-high aluminium tower.

“Give the money to local infrastructure in the town for all the damage done from changing the river that caused floods earlier this year.”

A general view of the Judges tower. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images.

The judges tower stands out from the natural wonder that surrounds it. Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images.

The downgraded installation will match a previous wooden tower in size and weight, reducing the weight on the foundations. This, in turn, would reduce the depth of drilling, organisers said.

Slater suggested using the existing wooden structure, or to “rebuild the frame on (the) same footing”.

However, the organising committee told AFP the wooden tower “has not been up to standard for about 10 years”.

US surfer Kelly Slater competes at Teahupo'o. Photo by JEROME BROUILLET / AFP.

Even the International Surfing Association (ISA), the governing body that oversees surfing’s qualification process declared it would not support the aluminium tower project and offered new proposals to minimise the impact on the environment and to protect the abundant coral.

However, the drilling needed to stabilise the structure has led to outrage across locals and surfing commentators alike.

Slater did not qualify to compete while Australia being represented by Ethan Ewing an Jack Robinson in the men’s event.

Jack Robinson of Team Australia rides a wave during round one of surfing on day one in Teahupo'o, French Polynesia. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Ewing was one of eight men to advance directly into round 3 — along with France’s Joan Duru, Peru’s Alonso Correa, Brazil’s Gabriel Medina and João Chianca, Team USA’s John John Florence and Griffin Colapinto, plus Japan’s Inaba Reo.

Robinson’s Olympic campaign is hanging by a thread after a late score by Duru put the Aussie into a Round 2 heat where a loss would see him eliminated.

The 26-year-old was seen as a contender for gold before he injured his foot on Teahupo'o’s sharp reef.

On the women’s side, Tyler Wright won her heat to go straight through to Round 3. Molly Picklum was third in a tough heat and will also have to go through the second round.