Surfing-Competition in Tahiti likely to resume on Thursday after storm delays

TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti :Competition was cancelled at the Olympic surfing venue of Teahupo'o in Tahiti on Wednesday, with conditions still super challenging after a storm swept though the region, forcing the event to go on hold.

Organisers said competition was likely to resume at 7 a.m. (1700 GMT) on Thursday, starting with women's round three and planning to move into the quarter-finals for men and women.

Tahiti's Teahupo'o delivered some of the best conditions ever seen for a competition for the men's round three on Monday, before strong winds ripped through the lineup and continued into Tuesday.

Wednesday brought home the challenges of forecasting waves and weather on an isolated island in the South Pacific.

With time running out to finish competition, organisers initially said they would send the women's round three out into a maelstrom of 15-foot stormy surf at one of the world's most dangerous waves.

They quickly changed their minds, however, and cancelled for the day, leaving a nail-biting wait to wrap up the event and decide the medals.

Running for half a day on Wednesday would have allowed organisers to complete competition and crown medallists on Thursday, which looks to have the best conditions left in the waiting period that ends on Monday.

One-and-a-half days of competition remain now, meaning a finish is more likely at the weekend - but far from certain.

Kevin Wallis, head of forecasting at Surfline.com, which works with the Olympic surf organisers, said a repeat of Monday's stunning conditions was unlikely.

"In a perfect world, you get four really great days of surf like we had on Monday morning, but that doesn't always happen," Wallis told Reuters during the break in competition on Tuesday.

"We've been super lucky