TORONTO (October 4, 2023) – Surf Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced the Canadian Surfing Team nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

The Team Canada surf team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games is:

Athletes
Lina Augaitis (Coldstream, BC) – 14′ SUP race
Michael Darbyshire (North Vancouver, BC) – 14′ SUP Race
Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (Tofino, BC) – Shortboard
Finn Spencer (Paia, Maui) – SUP Surf
Catherine Temple (Tofino, British Columbia) – SUP Surf
Liv Stokes (Aliso Viejo, California) – Longboard
Cody Young (Makawao, Hawaii) – Shortboard

Lina Augaitis, Michael Darbyshire, Sanoa Dempfle-Olin, Finn Spencer and Catherine Temple all qualified for Santiago 2023 based on their results at the PASA 2023 Pan American Surfing Games which took place April 21-30 in Santa Catalina, Panama . Olivia Stokes and Cody Young qualified based on their results at the 2023 ISA World Longboard Championships and the 2023 ISA World Surfing Games respectively.

Team Canada had its best performance ever at the Pan American Surfing Games last spring, placing fourth as a team thanks to six top-four finishes. Canada has qualified its seven surf spots for Santiago 2023 during these Pan American Surfing Games.

Stokes, who will make her Pan American Games debut, had success at the 2023 Pan American Surfing Games where she won a silver medal in longboarding. She followed this performance up to the 2023 ISA World Longboard Championships where she officially secured her place in Santiago.

“As Santiago 2023 approaches, I’m very happy about it,” Stokes said. “I tried to qualify for Lima in 2019 but unfortunately I was eliminated in the first round and it was really difficult for me. It’s really nice to know that all my hard work has paid off. I’m excited for the future.

Augaitis, Darbyshire, Spencer, Temple and Young will all be making their second appearance at the Multi-Sport Games after competing in surfing’s Pan American Games debut at Lima 2019. They are looking to build on their performances at the PASA Pan American Surfing Games, where Spencer won gold and Augaitis, Stokes and Young all won silver in their respective events.

At the inaugural Lima 2019 Pan American Surfing Games, Team Canada athlete Mathea Dempfle-Olin, sister of Sanoa Dempfle-Olin, won a bronze medal in women’s longboarding. Surfing was first included on the Olympic program at Tokyo 2020 with the women’s and men’s shortboard events, but those Games did not feature any Canadian athletes. The shortboard surfing events will once again be present at Paris 2024 and will take place in Teahupo’o, Tahiti. At Santiago 2023, the men’s and women’s gold medalists in the shortboard events will qualify by name for Paris 2024. If one of the gold medalists is already qualified or if their NOC has already filled their quota, the eligible athlete The next highest ranked will win the title. qualification.

“We are very encouraged by these results and what this team has accomplished, including surpassing our goals and qualifying seven surfers for the Pan American Games in Santiago, which provides opportunities for direct qualification to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for surfers. shortboard surfers,” said Dom Domic, executive director of the Canadian Surf Team.

Surfing will take place from October 24 to 30 (days 4 to 10) in Punta de Lobos, Pichilemu.

“I am delighted to welcome these seven surfers to Team Canada for Santiago 2023! With qualification for Paris 2024 on the line in both the men’s and women’s shortboard events, and the talent of this team as a whole, I can’t wait to witness the exciting things this team will achieve at Punta de Lobos,” said Christine Girard, chef de mission of Team Canada in Santiago 2023.

The coaches and support staff for the Team Canada surf team for the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games are:

Alison Beaton (Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia) – Physiotherapist
Shannon Brown (Tofino, BC) – Coach
Dom Domic (Victoria, British Columbia) – Team Leader
Alexander Sears (Huntington Beach, CA) – Strength and Conditioning

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee team selection committee following receipt of nominations by all national sport organizations.

The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Dom Domic, general manager
Surf in Canada
C: 604-721-4045
Email: [email protected]

Tara MacBournie, Sports Communications Manager for Team Canada Santiago 2023
Canadian Olympic Committee
C:647-522-8328
Email: [email protected]