The Aranui , floating Olympics village and hotel for the surfing event, has moored at Vairao on Friday 19 July 2024 Photo: TNTV
As French Polynesia's Olympic surfing competition begins at the weekend, it will be the only event to host athletes in a floating hotel.
The accommodation is provided by the luxury liner "Aranui 5", for the whole duration of the surfing competition, to be held on the iconic site of Teahupo'o between 27 and 30 July.
Athletes’ rooms aboard floating Olympic village Aranui Crew Photo: COJOP
What is now the PARIS 2024 Olympics' only floating hotel and Olympic village usually carries passengers and freight.
The choice for a floating Olympic Village was made because, in this part of Tahiti, there was no adequate facility located close enough to the competition site.
The 28 international competitors and their delegations have now arrived and settled onboard the Aranui 5.
Onboard, they will be treated to French and Polynesian cuisine, as well as local Polynesian dances every night.
The favourites in the competition are also home-grown: in the female competition, Vahine Fierro, who made history in May and won the Tahiti leg of the World Surfing League's competition, has been surfing on the Teahupo'o wave since she was 15.
Kauli Vast, in the men's event, also grew up on the world-renowned site.
Floating Olympic village Aranui Crew welcomes arriving surfing competitors on board Photo: COJOP