TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti - Japan's Kanoa Igarashi made an early exit at the site of the Paris Olympics surfing tournament Thursday, going out in the round of 16 at a Championship Tour meet in Tahiti.
Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Igarashi waited for a big wave that failed to come in Teahupo'o and settled for a combined 0.93 point from his top two attempts in the round, losing to the 13.67 total of Morocco's Ramzi Boukhiam.
Brazil's reigning Olympic champion, Italo Ferreira, won the tournament, edging American John John Florence in the final 17.70 to 17.16.
"It makes me most angry when a chance doesn't come," said Igarashi after the surf became calmer after the previous round. "What I'm doing is right, but it feels like I lost to the ocean."
The 26-year-old said he is not worried about a similar scenario unfolding during the summer games.
"Today's tactic had an 80 percent chance of winning," Igarashi said. "It's important not to overthink. I'm thinking I can win the gold medal every day."
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Surfing: Connor O'Leary fills final Japan men's spot for Paris Olympics
Surfing: Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Amuro Tsuzuki misses Paris Games
