The International Surfing Association (ISA) announced the heat draw for the sport's debut in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The world governing body for the sport of surfing released the seedings for the men's and women's Round 1 heats and corresponding match-ups.
Surfing's first-ever Olympic participation features a six-round heat format that will steadily narrow the field for the 20 men and 20 women until the gold, silver, and bronze medal discussion.
Round 1 is a non-elimination stage.
Athletes were seeded into five heats of four surfers each, with the top two competitors advancing directly to Round 3.
The bottom two surfers will have to compete in the first elimination round - Round 2 - which features two heats of five athletes each.
The top three surfers of each heat will secure a spot in Round 3; all others will be out of the Olympic competition.
Round 3 is an elimination stage with eight heats of two surfers each - only the surfer finishing first moves to the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, once again, only the top surfers of all four heats will move through to the semifinals.
In the semifinals, the top surfers qualify for the final; the other bottom two will surf for the bronze medal.
In the final, the winner takes gold, and the runner-up takes home the silver medal.
The Olympic surfing program kicks off on July 25, 2021, at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, in Japan.
Where to Watch Olympic Surfing?
United States: NBC
Europe: Eurosport
Australia: 7+
Brazil: Globo
Latin America: Claro
Japan: NHK
Tokyo 2020 | Round 1 Heats
Men
Italo Ferreira (BRA), Leo Fioravanti (ITA), Hiroto Ohhara (JAP), Leandro Usuna (ARG)
Kanoa Igarashi (JAP), Jeremy Flores (FRA), Miguel Tudela (PER), Frederico Morais (POR)
Kolohe Andino (USA), Julian Wilson (AUS), Lucca Mesinas (PER), Billy Stairmand (NZL)
John Florence (USA), Owen Wright (AUS), Manuel Selman (CHI), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)
Gabriel Medina (BRA), Michel Bourez (FRA), Leon Glatzer (GER), Rio Waida (INA)
Women
Carissa Moore (USA), Teresa Bonvalot (POR), Daniella Rosas (PER), Dominic Barona (ECU)
S. Fitzgibbons (AUS), Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Mahina Maeda (JAP), Bianca Buitendag (RSA)
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Silvana Lima (BRA), Pauline Ado (FRA), Anat Lelior (ISR)
T. Weston-Webb (BRA), Johanne Defay (FRA), Amuro Tsuzuki (JAP), Sofia Mulanovich (PER)
C. Marks (USA), Yolanda Hopkins (POR), Leilani McGonagle (CRC), Ella Williams (NZL)