Surfing at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification explained

Qualification for surfing at the 2020 Summer Olympics will be based on the performances at two editions of the ISA World Surfing Games, the World Surf League Championship Tour, and the Pan American Games. Twenty athletes per gender must qualify for the Games, with only a maximum of two each per NOC. Host nation Japan has been entitled to use a single quota place each in both men's and women's shortboard. If Japan directly qualifies in any of the tournaments, the host country place(s) shall be reallocated to the next highest ranked eligible athlete at the 2021 ISA World Surfing Games.^[1]

Timeline

Event	Date	Venue
	July 30 – August 4, 2019	Lima
	April 3 – December 20, 2019	Various locations
	September 7–15, 2019	Miyazaki
	May 29 – June 6, 2021	El Sunzal & La Bocana
Re-allocation of unused quota places	TBD 2021

Qualification summary

Quota places will be allocated to the athletes in the following events:

• Host country: Japan is allocated 1 place in both men's and women's events. If at least one Japanese athlete has earned a qualification place through other events, the relevant host country place(s) shall be reallocated to the next highest ranked eligible athlete at the 2021 ISA World Surfing Games.
• 2019 World Surf League – the 10 highest ranked men and 8 highest ranked women will be awarded quota places.
• 2019 ISA World Surfing Games – the top finishers from each continent with the exception of the Americas will be awarded a quota place.
• 2019 Pan American Games – the top finisher in men's and women's events will be awarded a quota place.
• 2021 ISA World Surfing Games – the top 4 men and 7 women will be awarded quota places. If a NOC or National Olympic Committee qualifies more than the maximum number of athletes, the 2021 ISA World Surfing Games will prevail and any places earned from 2019 will be reawarded to the next highest finishing athlete(s). Each NOC is allowed to send a maximum of four athletes (two per gender) to the Olympic surfing competition.^[1]

Qualified countries

width=140 align="left"	NOC !	width=60	Men !	width=60	Women!	width=70	Total
	1		1
	2	2	4
	2	2	4
	1		1
		2	2
		1	1
	2	2	4
	1		1
	1		1
		1	1
	1		1
	2	2	4
	1		1
	1	1	2
	2	2	4
	1	2	3
		1	1
	2	2	4
Total: 17 NOCs	20	20	40

Events

Men's shortboard

width=250	Event !	width=50	Places !	Qualified surfer^[2]
Host NOC	n/a	Qualified through other event
	1
	10	^[3]
	5
2019 ISA World Surfing Games – Africa	1
2019 ISA World Surfing Games – Asia	1
2019 ISA World Surfing Games – Europe	1
	1
Total	20

Women's shortboard

width=250	Event !	width=50	Places !	Qualified surfer
Host NOC	n/a	Qualified through other event
2019 Pan American Games	1
	8
	7
2019 ISA World Surfing Games – Africa^[4]	1
2019 ISA World Surfing Games – Asia (reallocation)	1
2019 ISA World Surfing Games – Europe	1
	1
Total	20

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tokyo 2020 Qualification System – Surfing. isasurf.org. International Surfing Association. 16 March 2018. 17 March 2018.
2. Web site: Who will be surfing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics? This is how it's shaping up! . Olympic Channel . 31 October 2019.
3. Web site: Italy's Leo Fioravanti Replaces South Africa's Jordy Smith in Tokyo 2020 Games . ISA . 2 July 2021 . 3 July 2021.
4. Web site: World's top woman approach gold medals, capture Olympic qualification in miyazaki. International Surfing Association. 9 September 2019.