Sanoa Dempfle-Olin claims Olympic surfing berth at Pan American Games

SANTIAGO, Chile –

Canadian surfer Sanoa Dempfle-Olin qualified for next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris by reaching the Pan American Games women’s shortboard final Monday.

The 18-year-old from Tofino, B.C., posted scores of 4.50 on her first wave and 5.50 on her second to win the bronze-medal heat 10-4.20 over Leilani McGonagle of Costa Rica.

Dempfle-Olin advanced to the gold-medal round against Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb.

Canada didn’t have a surfer in the sport’s Olympic debut in Tokyo two years ago.

Dempfle-Olin’s older sister Mathea won Pan Am Games bronze in Lima, Peru in 2019.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2023.