Onlookers watch open-mouthed as an athlete, with the Japanese flag emblazoned on his wetsuit balances deftly on one leg, and juggles three neon balls in the air. This is just the beginning of his warm up. Athletes from South Korea and India are not too far away, calmly working on their own warm-up routines before picking up their surfboards.
At Mamallapuram, where the 4th ASF Asian Surfing Championships 2025 has kicked off, there are laser-focussed athletes from 19 Asian countries including India, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Maldives, Bangladesh and the Philippines ready to take on the waters. Team India is ready too, with eight of its 12 athletes from Tamil Nadu. The championships will take place till August 12.
Samai Reboul, Indian Surfing Team Coach and surfer Srikanth at the Asian Surfing Championships at Mamallapuram
“What started off as a small CSR activity in Kovalam with two surf schools has now grown to 12 schools there and four here in Mamallapuram. Surfing has grown massively as a leisure sport across India and we have also been focussing on the sporting side of things through the federation,” says Arun Vasu, president, Surfing Federation of India.
The setting for the surfing championships is dramatic. On the beach, in front of the Shore Temple, there are athletes patiently waiting their turn and some others, wading into the sea with their surfboards. “This is not just an amazing UNESCO site, but also a great surf point,” Arun adds, given how Mamallapuram is famed for its consistent waves and its sandbar breaks.
Several athletes competing in the Open Men and Women categories as well as the Under-18 categories began to arrive in Mamallapuram a week ago, to quite literally, test the waters.Donning brightly-coloured wetsuits in pinks and blues, and carrying surfboards that are painted with stars, waves and hearts, the athletes mill around the beach, either waiting to paddle in or cheering their teammates on.
“When I met the Indian team in Maldives last year, I was told the waves here were great and I was so excited to come here and surf. We practise a lot in Malaysia and I find the conditions very similar — it makes me feel safe,” says Aniq Kailani, a 20-year old athlete from Singapore having just finished a round of heats.
“The East coast is all about energy, and it is great for growth,” says Ramesh Budihal, a team India athlete. “During the off-season, I come here to improve my surfing and then go back to the West coast. These waves are high performance; surfers just starting out from the younger generations will quickly pick up the sport. You just need a few basic classes and then with consistent practice,” he adds.
The Asian Surfing Championships will take place till August 12
Out on the beach, the teams sit under giant umbrellas and a temporary marquee as they train their eyes on the sea. There are some athletes bobbing on the waves and a few others paddling into the sea. As loud announcements mark the start and end of consecutives rounds of heats, the weather slowly becomes unforgivingly hot. This isn’t a big challenge though for the surfers, many of whom train in Malaysia, Maldives and Bali.
“I live in Bali and I met several teams here who also train extensively there. It is amazing how surfing manages to connect different cultures and enables all of us to have a big meal afterwards. We are loving the Indian food here,” laughs Naif Alkhatrash, a 48-year-old athlete representing Kuwait.
Even if not in equal numbers, there are women surfers from across Asia who are participating in the championships. With many of them being surf instructors themselves, they are hoping things are looking up for better representation of women in the sport.
“In most international competitions, there are probably 20 to 30 women for every 150 men who compete. But it is promising to see a lot of young girls take to surfing now and be excited to learn,” says Shrishti Selvam, a team India athlete who also co-owns Kove surf school in Kovalam. Kovalam and Mamallapuram, she says, are places she has always felt safe at.
For 40-year-old Mona Rasidah from Malaysia who has been surfing from the time she was 24, the sport has come to mean a connection with Nature, one she simply cannot let go. “I teach young girls and women back home and encourage them to go for the shortboard division instead of the longboard division, which is the more classic and popular one,” says the athlete, who laughs and promises that she will still be surfing even at 50.
Shrishti Selvam from Team India
Chennai has had its fair share of young surfing talents over the years, some of whom join young rising stars from across Asia in the U-18 categories in the championships. The young stars are philosophical and wise beyond their years, when asked about the sport. “I think surfing is way better than video games. You get so many benefits,” says 13-year-old Yousef Fadhil from Saudi Arabia.
Tayin Arun, a 16-year-old rising surf star from team India, firmly believes that sport helps one learn a lot about life. “Surfing is best learned when seen and observed, and all these athletes here have so much experience. I hope to learn a lot from my other competitors,” he says.
Published – August 06, 2025 05:14 pm IST
