Defending women's champion loses as Olympic surfing competition resumes with tricky Tahiti swells

Defending Olympic women's surfing champion Clarissa Moore of United States was beaten in Paris Games quarterfinals on Thursday as competition resumed in Tahiti after two days of unfavorable conditions h put event on hold.

It was end of ro for some of surfing's best athletes, including Moore, who won first gold in sport when surfing debuted at 2020 Olympics and is a five-time world champion. She was eliminated by Johanne Defay of France.

“When are you come up short of a dream it sucks,” Moore tearfully said after her loss.

Moore took time away from surfing competitions this year, speaking openly about putting more time into her nprofit organization which helps young women, and to start a family.

"I couldn’t have imagined a better place to finish off my career," Moore said. “I’m going to give myself some time to just take a break.”

women’s third-round heats — which h been postponed twice — started day, with smaller waves and some wind. Conditions were less favorable than men’s competition on Monday , but athletes were determined to make best y could of what ocean h to offer.

“It was complicated to find tube in waves,” said French Polynesian Vahine Fierro, who lost her heat to teammate Defay. “I was rey to do maneuvers, to do tubes. But it was quite complicated on water.”

Throughout day swells remained stey but h fewer of large barrels seen earlier in week.

“Today was really tricky. I think every contest re’s like a survival day. And I feel like that was it,” said Brazil’s Gabriel Medina after beating teammate Joao Chianca in ir quarterfinal heat.

Teammates from Australia, Brazil and France found mselves competing against each or at several points in Thursday’s heats.

“It sucks to have ar teammate in heat. This is hardest part,” said French Polynesian surfer Kauli Vaast, who beat teammate Joan Duru in ir quarterfinal heat. “But ... this is competition.”

Earlier in day it was anunced that a surfing judge was removed from Olympic panel after a photo circulated online of him embracing a competitor along shore’s edge this week.

International Surfing Association released a statement on Thursday saying it removed Benjamin Lowe of Australia from judging panel for remainder of competition to “protect integrity and fairness of ongoing competition.”

Australia’s team manment declined a request for comment from Associated Press.

next day of competition — still undetermined — will help decide which athletes will take home Paris Olympics medals. Each heat will feature two surfers, with winner vancing to semifinals and finally gold medal heat. losers of two semifinal heats will compete in bronze medal match.

Organizers postponed Friday's possible competition day due to forecasted lack of contestable conditions. Weekend conditions could modestly improve after Friday, but with surf still overall slow according to surf forecasting website Surfline.

surf forecast is biggest determining factor of when surfing competition will take place, predicting when swells are expected to arrive, as well as angle and size of waves. competition must conclude by Aug. 5 — next Monday — so it’s important to pick what forecasters think will be best days.

Alonso Correa of Peru, Vaast, Medina and Jack Robinson from Australia won ir quarterfinal heats, vancing to semifinals.

From women's quarterfinals, Caroline Marks from U.S., Tatiana Weston-Webb from Brazil and Brisa Hennessy from Costa Rica won ir heats to join Defay in semis.