Defay (FRA) holds her line through one of the day’s biggest tubes

Surfing: Team France’s Johanne Defay wins Bronze

Punching the lip like a prize fighter, Johanne Defay of France just won Bronze in Tahiti. 

Using the same formula that got her to the finals, Defay (FRA) destroyed section after section with powerful, near vertical backside whacks. She also found the heat’s only real barrel, pulling in to one of the biggest set waves to roll through the lineup all day. Her crisp, top-to-bottom approach was fast, fluid and- ultimately- a medal winner thanks to a 6.83 and 5.83. 

For her part, Hennessy (CRC) struggled to find her rhythm. Though she managed a few vicious hacks in the pocket, the strong scoring waves just weren’t there for the Costa Rican regular foot. She concluded her Olympic bid with a 3.00 and a 1.93.