Riding the wave to history: B.C. teen first Canadian surfer to qualify for Olympics

Surfing isn't a sport most people associate with Canada. But when the 2024 Summer Olympics get underway next July, at least one Canadian will be there with surfboard in tow. 

Earlier this week, Sanoa Dempfle-Olin from Tofino, B.C., became the first Canadian surfer to qualify for the Olympics.

"It's been an unreal experience so far. And now being home, I feel like it's just settling in," the 18-year-old told The Current guest host Duncan McCue.

Surfing made its Olympic debut in the 2020 summer games in Tokyo; 20 men and 20 women from across all continents qualified for those games, but none of them were Canadian.

Canada's surfing competition debut will come in 2024 though, thanks to Dempfle-Olin's performance in the 2023 Pan American Games. She secured provisional qualification by reaching Monday's women's final, where she subsequently snagged the silver medal in women's shortboard.

18-year-old Canadian Sanoa Dempfle-Olin rode the wave all the way to silver today at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Santiago2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Santiago2023</a>, AND provisionally qualified for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a>