Surfers at the 2024 Paris Olympics won’t have to worry about the notorious cardboard beds.
Rather than residing in Paris’ Olympic Village, the surfers in Tahiti are spending the next two weeks aboard a cruise ship — regular mattresses and all.
The surfing competition is set to commence in Teahupo’o, Tahiti. Due to its small size, the Paris Olympic Committee decided a cruise ship would be the most viable option to house the surfers, per NBC Olympics.
As a result, the Aranui 5 from the Aranui cruise company has been converted into a first-of-its-kind floating athletes village.
With 103 luxury cabins on board, every Olympian has a private room, complete with double beds, a balcony and an impressive ocean view, as seen in an Instagram video by New Zealand surfer Billy Stairmand.
Other athletes in Tahiti have also taken to social media to share more about the ship they will call home for the duration of the Games.
For example, Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi shared on TikTok that in addition to the athletes’ living quarters, the cruise ship features a dining hall and plenty of activities for the surfers to enjoy in between competitions, including ping pong, foosball tables and water slides.
According to sports journalist AJ McCord, the ship’s amenities also include four bars, two lounges, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center and a massage room.
In total, 48 surfers are slated to compete in Tahiti, but one team’s athletes are notably absent from the ship — that is, Team USA.
Instead, Team USA opted to rent a villa closer to the competition venue. American surfer Caroline Marks explained the team’s decision on TikTok.
“Teahupo’o, obviously, is pretty far out in the ocean, so you need a jet ski or boat to get out there,” she said. “Sometimes, it takes a little bit of time if you’re not that close to it.
“The house we have is literally looking at the waves, so as far as practicing and feeling the most prepared, I feel like it was the best idea to be closer to the venue,” Marks added.
Tune in to the Paris Olympics on NBC and Peacock.
