Read the original article in French here.

About 60 miles south of Los Angeles, near San Clemente, the Olympics are already making waves. Welcome to Lower Trestles — or “Lowers,” as the locals call it. A rocky, cobblestone seabed transforms Pacific swells into a wave-making machine. Lefts, rights — it has it all. And in 676 days, this is where six new Olympic medalists will be crowned.

For Jérémy Florès, manager of the French national team, there is no question of waiting: “You hear people say, ‘The Games are two years away, we’ve got plenty of time!’ No. The selection process starts now. The countdown is on!”

Officially, it’s a training camp. Unofficially? The first dress rehearsal for LA 2028. “Back in my day, we didn’t have all these resources. It’s an incredible opportunity to prepare our young surfers properly and build their confidence. A huge thank you to the French Surfing Federation and the French National Sports Agency, which funds elite sport in France,” Florès adds.

From Teahupo’o to Trestles

After Tokyo in 2021, followed by the reef and monstrous barrels of Teahupo’o in 2024, the Olympic surfing competition heads to San Clemente in 2028.

Fast, playful and consistent, Trestles is something of an aquatic skatepark. For Kauli Vaast, the 2024 Olympic surfing champion, the contrast could hardly be greater: “At Teahupo’o, I was at home, on a wave I’ve been surfing since I was a kid. At Trestles, we’ll have to take on the Americans on their home turf… and they’ve got some serious talent!”

Among those local surfers are Griffin and Crosby Colapinto, two brothers from San Clemente who grew up surfing this very wave. For the French team, this will very much be an away game.

Four surfers, four stories

Fresh off the plane from Tahiti, Kauli heads straight into the water in a shorty wetsuit. Bad call: “I was freezing! Going from a lagoon at 82°F to water that’s barely 68°F… But when I first arrived on the beach, my immediate thought was about the Olympics — without feeling too much pressure.”

For Vahine Fierro, who was knocked out in the round of 16 at Teahupo’o by eventual bronze medalist Johanne Defay, Trestles marks the beginning of a new chapter: “I’ve got unfinished business. I’m so excited about the possibility of competing in my second Olympics. And I feel really comfortable here — my dad is from here!”

Marco Mignot, the 2025 Rookie of the Year, says: “I really like this spot. You can do everything here, both on the right and the left. It’s up to me to surf at the very top of my game… and have fun.”

Fifteen-year-old Tya Zebrowski tells us: “The Olympics are my dream. My dad competed in them twice in snowboarding. I fully intend to be there in 2028, and I’m going to do everything I can to make it happen.”

Two years away? In Olympic preparation, that’s practically tomorrow morning.

Jérémy Florès: Back to the future

Jérémy Florès knows this spot well. In 2007, at just 19 years old, the Réunion Island native reached the semifinals of the Boost Mobile Pro here. Nearly two decades later, he finds himself on the other side of the fence, following in the footsteps of his father Patrick, who spent many years coaching the French national team: “I learned from the best. Today, my role is to pass my experience on to these young surfers. We’re going to do everything we can to help them shine here in 2028.”

Alongside him, coach Joan Duru, who finished fifth at the 2024 Olympics and became ISA World Champion in 2021, brings his technical expertise. But building a strong team is just as important. That is the paradox of Olympic surfing: you paddle out alone, but you prepare for the Games as a team. “The goal is to create a strong group, a bubble where our surfers feel confident,” explains staff member Pierre Loquet.

The real test begins September 11, 2026

Lower Trestles will host the ninth stop of the Championship Tour. This time, it won’t be about scouting the venue: competition jerseys will be on, and the judges will be watching. It will be a full-scale dress rehearsal on the future Olympic stage.

Being at Trestles today, however, is no guarantee of being here in 2028. The Games will feature 24 men and 24 women, with qualification spots awarded through several pathways, including the 2028 Championship Tour, the ISA World Surfing Games and continental competitions.

Kauli, Vahine, Marco and Tya will all have to earn their place. But with 676 days to go, Les Bleus have already given themselves a head start. One session at a time. One wave at a time. One detail at a time.

Let the Games begin! Allez les Bleus, allez la France !

F.P.