The Olympic surfers are scheduled to hit the world-famous waves at Teahupo’o this Saturday for the first day of ­competition. The field features 48 athletes, with 24 each in the men's and women's events. It will take place over four days within a nine-day competition window. Surfing is highly dependent on weather and wave conditions, so the committee may delay competition as late as hours before surfers are slated to start, or even in between events themselves.

The Olympic surfing format features six rounds of competition, with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final occurring back-to-back-to-back in a single day, slated, tentatively, for Tuesday, July 30. Round 1 will have eight heats of three surfers each. First place in each heat will receive a bye into the third round, with the other two athletes swimming out for Round 2. That means that even if your favorite surfer doesn't win their heat, they'll still be in the competition for at least Round 2.

Now, here's the heats to watch for when the surfers hit the swell in Tahiti for the first round. 

Simmers, Picklum, and Weston-Webb meet in stacked heat

The headline of the groups is undoubtedly the fourth heat in the women’s competition, which will pit three of the top-10 riders in the World Surf League rankings against each other. It's the only heat in the men’s or women’s events that feature that many top-10 surfers. 

The United States’ Caitlin Simmers leads the way. The 18-year-old phenom enters the Olympics as the top-ranked surfer in the world in just her second full season on the WSL Championship Tour, boasting three wins in eight events this year.

She’ll see her friend and rival, Australia's Molly Picklum, in the water on the first day. Picklum is currently No. 4 in the WSL standings, finishing in the top five in all but two events this season.

Rounding out Heat 4 is Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb, sitting seventh in the WSL standings. The Brazilian is not to be overlooked in the event, as she scored a perfect 10 on this exact wave earlier this year at the Tahiti Pro.

Another top-10 matchup in Heat 5 

Immediately following the star-studded fourth heat is a pair who offer one of the most interesting head-to-head matchups of the day: France’s Johanne Defay and Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy.

In May, Hennessy turned in an outstanding performance at the Tahiti Pro, making the final and ultimately finishing as the runner-up. She enters the Olympics as the No. 3 surfer in the WSL standings, having finished in the top five of every event she’s competed in this season.

Waiting for her will be Defay, who sits sixth in the rankings. Although she didn't reach the quarterfinals at the Tahiti Pro, she has both a first- and second-place finish under her belt this season. Nicaragua’s Candelaria Resano will also be in this heat, seeking her country’s first ever Olympic medal.

Hometown hero meets WSL No. 2 in Heat 7

Towards the end of the men’s competition, the United States’ Griffin Colapinto and France's Kauli Vaast will swim out in the seventh heat.

The American is making his Olympic debut, but is a serious threat to finish on the podium. Although he did not have a great showing at the Tahiti Pro, Colapinto is second in the WSL standings entering the Olympic competition. He won the Rip Curl Pro Portugal earlier this season and recently finished top three in the Rio Pro, the final event before the WSL’s break for the Games. 

Vaast will be representing France but is from Tahiti, giving him a home advantage in this competition. Due to the uniqueness of the Teahupo’o wave, Vaast’s familiarity makes him a strong contender in this competition, even though his resumé may not be as impressive as some of his competitors.

Women’s Event

Fans will not have to wait long to see American Caroline Marks compete, as she will ride in the first heat of the women’s event. Marks sits at No. 2 in the WSL standings, right behind her U.S. teammate, Simmers. She also has a history of success at this location, finishing third in the Tahiti Pro this year and winning the event last season. 

Last but certainly not least for the American women is Carissa Moore, who won’t surf until the final women’s heat of the opening round. Moore is one the most decorated female surfers of all time and the only gold medalist in women’s surfing, landing atop the podium in surfing’s debut at the Tokyo Games three years ago. She’s looking to repeat as an Olympic champion and go out on top, as she has said she will be retiring from competitive surfing after the Paris Games.

Men’s Event

John John Florence is the other American joining Colapinto in the men’s competition and he will surf right before Colapinto in the sixth heat. Florence is a legend in the sport, widely considered one of the best surfers to ever ride the waves. However, the Hawaii native is still seeking his first Olympic medal after he was eliminated in the third round of the competition in Tokyo.

Injuries kept him from competing at full strength at the last Olympics, but Florence is at the top of his game and looks healthy as ever leading into this year’s Games. He currently sits atop the WSL rankings by a wide margin and has a litany of experience on barreling waves like Teahupo’o, growing up across the street from the similar Bonzai Pipeline in Hawaii. Florence is in prime form to add an Olympic medal to his long list of accomplishments. 

See below for every first-round heat.