00:03Olympic gold could come down to wind, storms, and swell.
00:08In 2028, the world's best surfers will compete at lower trestles on the Southern California coast.
00:14This is a place of magic. Come on.
00:15But the weather will help determine what kind of Olympic stage they get.
00:19It's just the best wave on the coast. It's got the best left and right.
00:24All the best surfers come out here to practice.
00:28Swells generated by distant storms travel across the Pacific
00:32before reaching this undeveloped stretch between Orange and San Diego counties.
00:36Then the seafloor takes over.
00:39The reef is shaped like a perfect triangle like this.
00:42So when the waves come in, they come from the south, they hit the reef,
00:45and it makes one of the waves go this way and the other ones go that way.
00:48USA Surfing CEO Greg Holsizer says a mix of cobblestone reef and sand
00:52splits incoming swells into left and right breaking waves.
00:57The result? Fast, clean rides with plenty of room for powerful turns.
01:03It's the best place in the world. It's lower trestle, San Clemente.
01:07Best waves in the world, best shape. Look at that. It's like amazing shape.
01:11Sergey surfs here often and hopes to qualify for Ukraine's Olympic team.
01:17But conditions can change with swell direction, wind, and tides,
01:21meaning nature could become one of the biggest wild cards of the competition.
01:27As a surfer and as a lifeguard, that wave is basically like a skate ramp in the water.
01:32You get a left, you get a right, so it's fair for surfers that are regular foot, goofy foot,
01:37and it's really high performance.
01:38San Clemente Marine Safety Lieutenant Sean Stottenbauer has watched these waves for decades.
01:44In 2028, the weather, the Pacific Ocean, and this perfectly shaped reef
01:49will come together on one of surfing's biggest stages.
01:52I'm Kai Beat with AccuWeather.
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