Surfing: What you need to know

1 THERE could be a lot of hanging around for the new Olympic sport. Organisers have designated a period of 16 days in which they can wait for suitable weather.

2 THERE is only one event — the shortboard competition — and it is split into men’s and women’s disciplines, with 20 competitors in each.

3 EACH surfer has 30 minutes to catch as many waves as they can, with a score of 0-10 for each one. The top two count towards their final score.

4 JOHN JOHN FLORENCE is the double world champion and the biggest name in the sport still competing. Expect him to challenge for gold.