Covelong Classic 2024: Top surfers converge in Kovalam for final national surfing championship of the year

KOVALAM: The Covelong Classic, the final national surfing championship of 2024, is set to kick off in style on Thursday.

Over 75 surfers from across the country have gathered at Surf Turf to compete for top honours in four categories: Men's Open, Women's Open, Junior Boys & U-16, and Junior Girls & U-16.

The surfing season for 2024 began with the International Surfing Festival Kerala Varkala, earlier this year, followed by the Indian Open of Surfing in Mangalore. The third stop, the Mahabs Point Break Challenge, took place on August 1st and 2nd at Mahabalipuram, and now the series culminates at Covelong Classic 2024.

This three-day surfing extravaganza is organized by the Tamil Nadu Surfing Association under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India (SFI) and will be hosted by Surf Turf, as per a press release from the SFI.

The event has garnered significant support from the Tamil Nadu Government and the Ministry of Youth Welfare and Sports Development. The Tamil Nadu Surfing Association is serving as the title sponsor.

Ajeesh Ali, Srikanth D, Harish M, Ramesh Budihal are among the top surfers to be seen in action in Men's Open categories and are currently ranked one, two, three and four respectively in the country. Ajeesh, Harish and Srikanth were recently named in the Indian squad for the Asian Surfing Championship that will take place next week in Maldives. Additionally, Srikanth D will go into the competition with the pressure of defending his title.

In the Women's Open category, Kamali P, currently ranked first, has already secured the overall championship title, so her performance at the Covelong Classic would not impact her standing. However, she is expected to face strong competition from fellow surfers Sandhya Arun (ranked 2nd), Shrishti Selvam (ranked 3rd), and Sugar Shanti Banarse (ranked 4th). Kamali and Sugar have also been selected for the Indian squad competing in the Asian Surfing Championship, representing the Women's Open and Junior U-18 categories, respectively.

Local surfers Tayin Arun and Kishore Kumar will be under the spotlight due to their recent performances and national rankings in the Junior Boys and U-16 category. Additionally, fellow local surfer Harish P, who has gained recognition for his impressive surfing skills, will strive to defend his Covelong Classic championship title with determination.

In the Junior Girls and U-16 category, defending champion Kamali P will aim to secure a double victory, as she is a strong contender for both the Women's Open and Junior Girls and U-16 titles at the Covelong Classic. Meanwhile, Dhamayanthi Sriram, currently ranked 2nd, and Saanvi Hegde, ranked 3rd, will be putting forth their best efforts to claim the title.

Speaking before the event, Arun Vasu, President, the Surfing Federation of India said, "We are thrilled to witness the intense action from the country's top surfers over the next three days. As the surfing calendar culminates with the year's final national championship, the Covelong Classic, the best surfers are set to compete in the Asian Surfing Championship. I would like to extend my best wishes to all the surfers participating in this prestigious national championship."

The championship will feature participants from various states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, competing across four different categories. In addition to medals and trophies, winners in each category will receive cash prizes.

To make the event more vibrant and exciting, the organizers have scheduled DJ nights featuring performances by local bands 'blwr' and 'The Medium Rare' throughout the event.