While athletes are unquestionably the stars of the modern Olympic Games, there was a reminder this week that they sometimes have to share the stage — with animals.

On Monday, along a shoreline 15,000 kilometres from the Olympic flame in Paris, crowds gathered for the surfing competition saw an extra splash in the water. A whale breached the surface — leaping head-first — while two competitors were awaiting their waves in Teahupo’o, Tahiti.