Close Encounters with the ‘Surfers’ Kind!
“If everybody had an ocean, across the Karnataka, Then everybody’d be surfin’, Like Mangaluru. You’d see ’em wearing their baggies, Huarachi sandals too, A bushy bushy blond hairdo, Surfin’ Mangaluru! We’ll all be planning out a route, We’re gonna take real soon, We’re waxing down our surfboards, May month is here, We’ll all be gone for the summer, We’re on surfari to stay,Tell the teacher we’re surfin’- Everybody’s gone surfin’ , Surfin’ Mangaluru!”–these are my modified lyrics of the original “Surfin’ USA” lyrics by the Beach Boys.
Mangaluru: In spite of the surfers facing some difficult weather resulting in extreme tide conditions, the second edition of the ‘Indian Open of Surfing’ still got under way amid much fanfare at Sasihithlu beach, near Mukka on Friday, 26 May 2017. Around 120 surfers from across the country and a few from Australia, France, Maldives , USA, Sri Lanka and Madagascar are taking part in the event. The three-day surfing extravaganza is a part of the Karnataka Surfing Festival promoted by Karnataka Tourism, recognized by Surfing Federation of India and organised by Mantra Surf Club and Kanara Water Sports Promotion Council.
Surfers across U14, U16, seniors (23 – 30 Years), masters (30 years and above) and open category participated in the preliminary elimination rounds on the first day stretched over multiple heats. The top two from each heat move forward to the second round which will be followed by the semi-finals today (Saturday) and finals on Sunday. The opening day also witnessed stand-up paddling championship for women, where local girl of International fame Tanvi Jagdish took part and emerged as the champion, while Harshita Achar finished second and Vilasini Sunder finished third.
Surfers across all the categories were given 15 minutes each to compete under testing conditions in the sea. Within these 15 minutes the surfers were allowed to catch 10 waves to showcase their skills, and the best two waves for each are accounted towards their competition scores by the judges. Winners were adjudged on the basis of the maneuvers performed them and their ability to catch the wave. Winners were adjudged on the basis of the manoeuvres performed by each surfer in the water and their ability to catch the wave. Tourism Secretary Naveen Raj Singh told reporters that the World Surfing League will be held on Sasihitlu beach in March 2018. He has also said that there are plans to develop Sasihithlu into an International Surfing destination by providing necessary infrastructure and promoting it through brochures and other publicity materials.
The Under-14 category, also called the ‘novice’ category, saw the most enthusiastic bunch of surfers. This category saw 24 participants fight for a spot in the next round, but only 11 qualified for it. The senior’s category (23-30 Years) witnessed participation from 26 surfers, while 15 of them made it to the second round. In the open category, 13 surfers from across France, Maldives, Madagascar and India participated in the first round. The Under-16 category saw participation from 24 surfers while only 11 of them qualified for the second round. Among those participating in the event include 10 members from Covelong Surfers Club from Kovalam in Chennai. “Though the waves here are not as good as we see on the East Coast, its fun to be here,” said Eka, leader of the Covelong team.
Sasihithlu beach wore a festive look locals enjoying the surfing competition with performances from dance groups and other adventure sports like skate boarding, slack lining etc. Although the first day didn’t attract much crowd, the organizers are hoping that a huge crowd will throng the beach on Saturday and Sunday. Food stalls have already been set up, and every evening from 4 pm onwards there will be live entertainment. Foreigner surfers have been enjoying the picturesque beauty of the coastal region, and are anxiously waiting to savour some local cuisine. Steve and Melissa from Germany want to try Neer Dosa, Appam, Chicken Ghee Roast and Kori Rotti when they get a chance to visit a restaurant in Mangaluru- because of their experience when they dined last year on these Kudla delicacies.
Team Mangalorean had an opportunity to meet some of the Surfers, from judges to participants during the first day at the Sasihithlu Beach- and without any hesitant they were all ready to share their views and experiences.
Following are the excerpts from the exclusive interviews with the surfers:
Jack Hebner (Florida-USA) aka Surfing Swami- Founder President of Mantra Surfing Club-Mulky:
Surfing is not a mere pastime. It’s way of life promoting health and spiritual well being and helping others become better individuals. Decade ago this sport did not enjoy any support from Bollywood, or corporate or celebrities, but now its totally different. The word ‘Surfing” has its origin in coastal Karnataka. Portuguese who arrived in coastal Karnataka 400 years ago heard fishermen shouting “Suffe”.They wrote the word “Suffe”, but it was the British who changed the word into “Surf”. Hence the word “Surfing” has its roots here. With the absence of good waves, surfers participating in the morning events faced difficulty in manoeuvring their surf boards, but the weather could be better in the next two days, so that the surfers can demonstrate their surfing skills.
The Mantra Surf Club [India’s first surf club] is dedicated to the pastime of surfing — introducing surfing in India and introducing India to the international surfing community. The Mantra Surf Club was started in 2004 by me and Rick Perry who as kids begun surfing ourselves in 1963 at Jacksonville Beach, Florida, USA. Back in the old days both I and Rick were members of North Florida’s first surf club, Oceanside, and were among the pioneers of surfing on the East Coast of the United States. Surfing as a pastime, or as a way of life generally promotes health and spiritual well-being – helping to make one a better individual. As they say, “Surfing isn’t just about getting in the water and catching a few waves, it’s about something much deeper than that. It’s about a spiritual experience,”
Surfing ocean waves in India, however, is a new experience. At Mantra Surf Club we offer all varieties of exciting water sports. If you are looking for fun in the water, this is it! Wake-boarding, body-boarding, surfing, kayaking, surf school, surf lessons, jet skiing, stand up paddle boarding (SUP), snorkelling, and more can all be done right here at India’s original surf and yoga retreat. The members of the Mantra Surf Club are totally stoked and would like to invite you to join the club and feel the difference. You will love it! Finally, personally, I am also a strong believer in keeping fit and avoiding taking anything into this body that alters the mind such as alcohol or that disturbs one’s internal organs such as animal flesh, eggs, junk food, processed food, etc. A wise man once said, “When wise men speak, Wise men listen.”
Jamo Borthwick (Australia)- Founder of Walkin on Water- Panambur:
“Panambur Beach is indeed a nice beach, and has the potential to develop surfing events. With proper facilities and good training, the local surfers could benefit a lot here. At my surfing club called Walkin on Water (Wow Jokul) at Panambur, I train surfers in life-saving techniques and other guidelines required by the rescue surfers. There are intensive training on knowledge of sea/ocean, swirls, waves etc required for surf life saving. The term surfing refers to the act of riding a wave, regardless of whether the wave is ridden with a board or without a board, and regardless of the stance used. The modern-day definition of surfing, however, most often refers to a surfer riding a wave standing up on a surfboard; this is also referred to as stand-up surfing.
Right now I have 25 regular members, and nearly 200-300 surfers come and train at my club. Our club imparts water safety lessons, and training for junior, inexperienced surfers and so on. West coast is the best for beginners and advanced surfers, since the waves here sometimes climb up to a height of 28 ft, so surfers should know what they are doing. I have also launched a charity project named as “Wow Jokul” which means “Wow Children” (Jokul means children in Tulu language), aims at empowering children of poor parents. By imparting new skills like rescue techniques, I do not want these children to do what their fathers did. One such member, Selva whose mother works as a sweeper, dreams of becoming a surfer of International standard. I also ensure that talented surfers compete in local and national surfing competitions and win. I am happy to say that 12 of our members are taking part in this second edition of Surfing here at Sasihithlu, and I am confident that some will surely win.
I do want to hold a surfing competition at Panambur- I have been convincing Yathish Baikampady-the CEO of Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project in this regard- but I feel that politics is ruining my plans- and I don’t want any political influence in my projects. I welcome anyone who is interested in learning surfing, and I will be ready to train them to the best of my ability.
Austin O’Brien (25 years) -New York-USA:
I have been with Jamo Borthwick at his club in Panambur recently. Today is my 25th birthday, and what a better way to celebrate by the riding the waves in the blue sea at Sasihithlu Beach, which is simply awesome. I came down from States not just for the competition, but to feel the serene and moderate waves of the Arabian Sea at Sasihithlu, which I wanted to experience for a long time. I love this picturesque city of Mangaluru, and I will surely come back, and participate in the next year surfing event. The waves today at Sasihithlu may not be the perfect time to compete, but I will do my best to overcome the hurdles.
I have been in Mulky for the last six months, and this is the first time I am taking part in a surfing competition in India, being my first entry into international surfing event. I have visited many places across the globe like New Zealand, Indonesia, USA, Portugal, Sri Lanka, and now, India. My intention was not to participate in any competition but to surf and have some sheer fun in these awesome blue waters of Coastal Karnataka. I extremely thank the organizers for giving me a chance to participate in this event, and also for the kind hospitality- and thanks also to Jamo Borthwick for his extreme support and encouragement.
Julia Kulish (27 years) -Ukraine:
I am here not to participate but to cheer up my friend Maxime from Madagascar. I have been in Goa for the last six months and the only reason I came here to learn surfing since we have no sea or ocean in Ukraine to learn extreme surfing. I am getting trained at Banana Surfing School-Goa under the guidance of a Russian trainer/owner. I have learned all the basics of surfing and getting near to be a full-fledged surfer- and then I will be looking forward to taking part in one of these surfing competitions. The water conditions here at Sasihithlu are quite okay today for surfing, according to my friend. Even I too feel the same by looking at it. But you can’t help- sometimes you’ll have to put up with some hurdles while surfing in such conditions.
For those of you in Goa who want to learn Surfing, I would highly recommend Banana Surf School, since the instructor is incredibly knowledgeable, and focuses on teaching the proper skills and best practices for a successful surfing experience. When I was a beginner to surfing here, my instructor was incredibly positive and encouraging, and prioritized safety above everything else. Pricing was comparable to other lessons offered in the area.
The lesson were quite lengthy and began with an on-land portion to give instruction on proper surfing techniques and safety. I felt that Banana Surf School’s approach went the extra mile – not just providing a few hours of fun, but in passing along applicable techniques, knowledge and skills that would equip their clients for successful and safe surfing in the future.
Samai Reboul: Judge at the ‘Indian Open of Surfing’ 2017:
Although my parents are from France, I was born in Auroville-Pondicherry, India. This location of Sasihithlu is great for surfing, although today the weather conditions are not right, if not the waves here are ideal for surfing. I have been here last year as a judge, and once again I am here- and I feel great to be here. In the past I have judged about 5-6 surfing competitions, but I always feel happy to come here, because of the naturalistic beauty and the blue sea water. More could be done at this place to make it an place to hold International surfing events. The government and other district authorities should show some interest in developing this beach for surfing sport. India, one of the last countries in the world to take up surfing actually gave surfing its name!-Originated in Coastal Karnataka). India may be the last to get into surfing but the surf potential in India is already proving to be amazing! Mother India does it again.
On the West Coast the swell direction is usually best when coming from the South or West, although an occasional north swell does get good. On the East Coast the swell is almost always from the South or slight Southeast direction. Along the 7000 kilometers of coastline in India there are at least 200 surfable river mouths. River mouths usually have distinct and consistent sand bar formations created by the river flow and these make for very good breaks — like beach breaks but with a lot less close outs. But no matter what, Indian waves are quite suitable for Surfing.
Also surfers while entering into waters while they are at different places should take precautionary measures with skin, as the chances of allergy are high when one gets into water. My advise to the surfers is ” Keep trying hard, don’t lose hope or give if you don’t win for the first time. Try try and you’ll succeed. Remember that Surfing is an upcoming sport in India. Enjoy this sport with commitment, dedication and will- and surely you’ll make your dreams come true.
Suhasini Damian (25 years)- Surfing member of Kalliallay Surf Club-Auroville, Pondicherry:
I have participated in five events so far, and twice won first places. I belong to Kalliallay Surf Club, where Kalliallay means Stone Waves in Tamil. I have been waiting for so long to test my skills here at Sasihithlu, since I had heard about this place last year. I couldn’t make it for the First competition that was held here in 2016, but this year I made it a point to come and enter in the competition. I have six years of surfing experience and taken part in five competitions till date. I have a degree in fashion design, and also own my own swimwear brand ‘4shore’. My father is s German and my mother, hailing from Pondicherry is into organic farming.
Although today I couldn’t do much due to the bad waves, the waves are not good as they are closing down quickly, but I hope in the next two days the weather would be good so that I can try my best to win. This is indeed a nice place for surfing while compared to the other places that I have been for surfing competitions.
Tanvi Jagadish (17 years)- Member-Mantra surf Club-Mulki
I am glad that I won the first place in the Stand-Up Paddling here. Since I have completed a course with the International Surfing Association which sends representatives to countries to teach three categories, I will take up judging, SUP and surfing. Completing the course allows people to become trainers, and I have completed the course in SUP. I am also sure that there plenty of other girls out there who wish to surf but haven’t found the support yet. My dream is to support them, we have many girl surfers in our club now and they have all taken to the sport very enthusiastically and have been the pioneers of young surf girls.
About Tanvi Jagadish: She has been taking surfing to new heights in India and Internationally on being India’s youngest woman in Stand Up Paddle- last year in November, she was the first female surfer from India to participate in the 2016 Fiji ISA World SUP and Paddle-board Championship held from November 12-20, where contestants from over 40 countries took part. Surfing in India has never got the boost it deserves as a sport. Yet, there are many along the coast who compete and win laurels for India. Among these silent sportsmen stands this young girl, Tanvi- India’s first woman Stand Up Paddler from Mangaluru. Stand Up Paddle surfing (SUP) is different from traditional surfing where the rider stays upright.
Born on 23 March 2000, to Jagadish and Kavitha, Tanvi is presently residing near NITK-Surathkal. She did her early school at Delhi Public School-MRPL-Panambur, and currently she is pursuing her studies in PUC ( PCMS) at Sharada Pre-University College. Kodailbail, Mangaluru. Since she started surfing, Tanvi had participated in several national level events, and her first competition was in 2015 in Chennai. Since then she has trained hard and has won quite a few first place in SUP nationals- like 2015 SUP Nationals Covelong Point Surf Classic – First place; 2016 SUP Nationals Manapad Classic surf and sail festival – First Place; 2016 SUP Nationals Indian Open of Surfing (Presented by Karnataka Tourism) – First place; and 2016 Surfing Nationals Indian Open of Surfing – Third place.
She also got a wild card entry for the international competition in China for SUP. She is an active member Mantra Surf Club-Mulki, and Field Specialized in Surfing, SUP (Stand up Paddle). She has been felicitated by Ganiga sangha – Vishnumurthy Devasthana; and Yuvaka mandala sanga – Kaikamba Surathkal. Tanvi is also selected to take part in the Asian Cup in China, which will take place in October 2017. Apart from being a SUP, she is also supporting and inspiring young women to seek their passion in surfing. At such a young age, she is also a trainer where she trains students including young NITK Engineering students, the techniques of surfing.
Susan Schmidt (30 years)-Germany:
Although I am a very experienced surfer for the last eight years, this year I am not taking part in this event due to a health condition. But I am here to cheer some of my friends in the Surfing world, who have been traveling around the world. My dog ‘Trevor’ also goes with me wherever I go. I am having a nice time with my friends here, and we are all having a ball, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the clear blue water of this beach. Surfing is s fun sport but it’s not easy though- Before you start surfing, you must know this: surfing is one of the most difficult and complex sport in the world. Think about it. Not one wave is the same, so your playground is constantly changing. Elements such as wind, tides, and swells are affecting the waves you surf differently every single day.
It’s a very challenging and enjoyable learning process. Once you catch your first “green wave”, that’s it, you’re hooked! Knowing the learning curve helps you prepare your attitude and expectations towards your surfing. Contrarily to snowboarding, for example, there’s no moment at the 3rd day where you think “Ok, I got this” and then very rarely fall again. In surfing, you will wipe-out for years. I have taken part in many surfing competitions around the world and won quite a few times. Next year surely I will take part in the surfing event at Sasihithlu. I want to come back here this place is a Heaven on Earth, so picturesque and natural. People are friendly and the hospitality is great. We have tried many of the local dishes, and want to explore many more.
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